The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-26 00:00:00

Y A 11 E

AND
UO3I2,IBE,CIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWO o'CLOCK

The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday
were estimated at 6,000 bales, including 1,000
American taken on speculation. The market was
steady,. and prices of all kinds were unchanged. The
sales comprised 5,000 American, 120 Pernam and
Maranham at 5.A. to Pad., 300 Egyptian,. at 6d.
.
to lid., 800 Surat, at 2id to 4d., and 30 Sea Island
at ls. lid. to 2s. per lb. Railway Shares were
flat, at rather lower prices.
The report upon the indigo sales, furnished by
Messrs. 11. W. Jewesbury and Co., is as follows :
"The sales terminated this day, and consisted of
13.925 chests (including 4,185 chests of old goods, and
1,090 chests in second hands). The sale now concluded
was exppeted to go off flatly, but upon the opening day
it was evident that orders were more abundant than was
looked for, both for export and home use, the demand
being chiefly for the good medium qualities which have
maintained previous rates ; the fine Bengal shipping
qualities, for which the demand was limited, have again,
as in the previous sale, experienced the greatest decline ;
good and fine Kurpab, and the same qualities of Madras
realised an advance in value, but the ordinary and low
of all descriptions were cheaper; the sale has gone very
steadily throughout, and with but little variation in
prices from those of the first day. Of the quantity
brought forward, it is estimated that 3,208 chests are
bought in, 3,852 withdrawn, and 6,865 sold, to which
may be added about 635 of the bought in and with-
drawn, making the total quantity sold about 7,500 chests,
of which 4,500 are said to be for export, and 3,000 for
home use and re-sale."

The harvest reports from the Continent are still
of the most favourable character, the heat being so
intense that the crops are of unusually fine quality.
At Madrid typhus fever has prevailed, owing to
the number of the slain lying in the public streets.
Don Fernando, who wag. inlll-health, a brother of
the king consort, died at the French embassy, from
fright, after the attack upon the palace of his
father, Don Francisco de Paulo, whose fate was not
known. The other sisters and brothers of the king
were at the French ambassador's also.

A comparison of the railway traffic returns for
the first half-year of 1854, compared with the same
period of 1853, shows a satisfactory increase in
most of the lines. The Eastern Counties stand
particularly well, the improvement being upwards
of 47,0G01., the Caledonian have risen 49,0001., the
Great Western 66,0001., the Lancaster and Carlisle
25,0001., the North-Western 85,0001., the Brighton
45,0001., the South-Western 33,0001., the Midland
45,0001., the South-Eastern 44,0001., the South
Wales 39,0001., and the Great Northern 79,0001.
Taking the French lines generally, it appears that
they show an increase of 121 per cent. With re-
spect to the English lines, it must not be inferred
that the whole extra receipts, or even the
usual proportion, taken against the mileage,
will go to the account of profit. There has
been a great addition to the expenditure
in consequence of the advance in wages and in the
price of many important articles that are consumed
largely. Nevertheless the dividends ought to be
well maintained. The Brighton Company will give
at the rate of about 41. 125., having in the corres-
ponding period of last year paid at the rate of 3g
per Cent, per annum. The second half-year upon
all the lines is of course the most productive. There
is much uncertainty still about the Great Western
dividend. Last year the dividend was 4 per Cent.,
but the recent decision in the House of Lords with
respect to the guages, and the necessity of taking
out of current revenue the loss incurred upon work-
ing some of the branch lines, will fall seriously
upon the aggregate amount available. The balance
from the previous half-year being nearly 20,000/.
no doubt the dividend may be maintained. The
North-Western Company in the opinion of some
persons should be able to pay at the rate of 51 per
cent., having commenced the half-year with a
balance of 86,0001., and the receipts fir the cur-
rent half-year being increased, as above stated,
nearly as much more. The Caledonian in the first
half-year of 1853, paid at the rate of 2 per cent. ;
the Great Northern 2i per cent., the South-
Western 31 per cent., and the South-Eastern
2 2-3ds. The Midland paid at the rate of 3i, and
had a good balance at the end of last year, which
was not the case with many of the other lines ; a
point of some importance in guiding the amounts
to be paid now. The North Stafford Company, in
nouneing that the Amalgamation Bill has been
lost, intimate that the arrangement with the Lon-
don and North-Western for an increased dividend,
will not on that account be disturbed.

The Overland letters will be delivered in London
to-morrow morning.

There was an improvement yesterday afternoon
in the rates of exchange upon most of the Conti-
nental cities. Paris, 90 days, was taken at 25 ;
22,1 to 25 ; Amsterdam at 11 16i to 17 ; ljam-
burgh at 13 5i to G ; and Trieste at 12 30 to 36.

About 80,0001. of the gold lately received from
Australia has been delivered for exportation to the
Continent. Silver is in more request.
In the discount market, money is reported easy,
at 41 to 41 per cent., and there is a scarcity of
bills.

The stock market has been rather depressed
again this morning, Consols being 92g 2, and since
921 1. It appears that the supply of money stock
is still rather in excess of the amount required by
the jobbers, and this perhaps is the more to be
at, seeing that money is more easy.
bills have been at ls. discount to 2s.
Ewxonchdeecireuder.
premium ; Bank Stock is rather quiet at 211.
The New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents, are 921
to 93i ; and the Three per Cents. 92i to 923.
The intelligence from Madrid as to the restora-
tion of tranquillity upon the arrival of Espartero,
has inspired some confidence, but there is not much
doing in the Bonds. The Deferred have been
181 ex dividend, but the 3 per Cents. have not
been dealt in. Mexican Stock is at 246, and Sar-
dinian at 854. Venezuela Deferred are at 11, and
Dutch 4 per Cents, at 91i.
The following are the nominal prices of Foreign
Stocks :—Grenada Deferred Bonds, 6 to GI ; Mexi-
can, 24i to 246 ; Peruvian, 66 to 68 ; ditto Three
per Cents. 50 to 52 ; Portuguese Four per Cents.
39 to 41 ; Russian Fiv©
per Cents. 97 to 99 ;
ditto Four-and-a-Half per Cents. 81 to 83 ; Spanish
New Deferred, 181 to ]8 ditto Three per Cents.
361 to 37!!3;; ditto Certificates, 31 to 4k; ditto Pas-
sive, 31 to 41.
1 ;

Railway Shares. are rather dull, and generally
drooping. The lines most dealt in are Great
Northern, Brighton, North,WeStern, and Smith-
Eastern: Foreign shares are neglected.
No transactions are recorded in Milling Shares.
The Banks are inactive, and in the miscellaneous
market very lit tie, has been done.

ANDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
f Prom the Ogcial L st. )

Business clone
dank Stock ...........
per Cent. Reduced Annuiticb 921 $ i
.3 per Cent Consols Annuities 92} 14 i
34 per Cent. Annuities
t.ong Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860
baba Stock
Smith Sea Stock.. ..
:10,La:oxa.rDa!,dzhsziiiticonice:1:ijoas,niluiiffcile:ouiBruBir.ici:RternAtihrod
sdeieniecsidA:o:sus:nlt2Bll:73t h.A.ug u s t . . 1124
92i =./s, i
*lOOO ................................... 2 p 1 d
%all ......................................
981
PRICE. OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Ditto Small snsc
etppoeuerrnCtceenntt..
..
.. . .
Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent
Venezuela Bonds, 3A per Cent. ....•••••••••••
11
Ditto Deferred, 1-per Cent
Dividends on the above pay-able in London.
Dutch Exchange, `-).2 r
or Cont. 12 Guil —
...
914
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates

11A LF•PAST TWO.
Consols 92
Ditto August Account

VIOLENT THUNDERSTORM. HEREFORD, Tuesday.—
Yesterday evening a terrific thunderstorm commenced
in and around this city, and with scarcely an intermission
prevailed throughout the night. Between eight and
nine o'clock lag evening, after a sultry, oppressive day
scarcely relieved by a breath of wind, rain began to
descend in torrents, and immediately converted the
highways into running brooks. The thunder rolled loud
and heavy, and duriii, the whole night the country was
incessantly lig!,ted by vivid lightning. The spire of
Withington Church, five miles south-east of Hereford, on
Which a large sum was last year expended in repairs,
was struck by the lightning at two o'clock this morning,
when' the. storm, was at its height, and was greatly
injured. ' • •