The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-05 00:00:00

MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL
INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, TWO O'CLOCK.
The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimated at 8,000 bales, of which 1,000 American
were taken for export and on speculation. The
market closed firmly, and prices of American •a
turn against the buyer. The sales comprised
5,000 American, 1,300 Pernam and Maranham at
6d. to 7d., 450 Bahia at 6i-d. to 6d., 400
Egyptian at 6d. to Bd., 500 Surat at 3d. to
41d., and 170 Sea Island at ls. 9d. to 2s. 6d. per
lb. Railway Shares were quiet, but steady.
The six weeks' average price of wheat is 445. 7d. ,
per quarter, and the last week's sales were 74,904
quarters.
In the monthly circular of Messrs. Lamond it is
remarked, concerning railways, that
" The traffic throughout the country is encouraging.
The returns for the week ending April 23 amounted to
298,560/., and for the corresponding week of last year
to 262,2211., showing an increase of 26,3421., or 9'67
per cent. The gross receipts for the eight railways
having their termini in the metropolis amounted to
134,5231., and for the corresponding week of last year
to 125,241., showing an increase of 9,2791., or 7.4 per
cent. The increase on the Eastern Counties Railway
amounted to 1,389/. ; on the Great Northern to 3,5451.;
on the. London and North-Western, to 4,600/. ; on the
London and Blackwall, to 49/. ; on the London,
Brighton, and South Coast, to 3831. ; and on the South-
Eastern, to 1111. ; total, 10,077/. But from this sum
must be deducted 7361., the decrease on the Great West-
ern, and 621. on the London and South-Western • to-
gether, 7981., leaving the increase as above, 9,2791.
The receipts on the other lines in the United Kingdom
amounted to 164,0401., and for the corresponding period
of 1852 to 146,9771., showing an increase of 17,0631. in
the receipts of these lines, which, added to the increase
on the metropolitan lines of 9,2791., makes the total
increase 26,342/. over the corresponding week of 1852.
The total increase, from the 2d January last to 23d
April, over the corresponding period of 1852, amounted
to 444,9241., or 10.47 per cent. Should the increase in
the traffic continue at the same rate during the year, it
will amount to 1,600,0001. over the receipts on railways
in the United Kingdom in the year 1852."
The steamer„ Adelaide left St. Helena for the
Cape of Good- Hope and Australia on the 4th
March.

The Honourable East India Company have
lowered the rate of exchange id., and now receive
cash for bills at 2s. O'd. on Bengal and Madras,
and 2s. id. on Bombay.
The Committee of Mexican Bondholders have
received advices from Mr. Falconnet, by the Mag-
dalene, dated Mexico, the 2d ult.
Proceedings had been instituted against Mr.
Falconnet, at the instance of 52 ex-deputies of the
late Mexican Congress, for imputations against the
Government and Legislature, as contained in the
reports of the late general meeting of Mexican
bondholders, held here on the 26th January last.
He had, under this process, been arrested since the
29th March, but understood that the proceedings
against him were arbitrary and illegal, and expected
soon to' be liberated. It was his intention then to
return to London, and he requests the committee,
in the meanwhile, not to take any steps with refer-
ence to this incident.

The packet has brought 70,000 dols., being per
balance of the cotton license to the credit of the
arrears, and 31,058 dols. to Messrs. Baring Brothers
and Co., for account of the dividend.
The intelligence of the progress of Manning and
Mackintosh's affairs is unsatisfactory.
The English Stocks have been rather dull again,
and prices have improved. Consols have been
100 k for Transfer, and 1001 for Account. The
New 3± per Cents. have realised 103 to , and the
3 per Cents. 99i to 1001. Bank Stock has ad-
vanced to 228 k. India Stock is quoted 261, and
South Sea Stock 115. South Sea New Annuities
have been marked 1001, East India Bonds are
dull at 325. premium, and the June Exchequer
Bills at Is. to ss. premium.
In the Foreign Market there has been less
activity. Grenada Deferred Stock has been
quoted lit, and Equador 6i. Buenos Ayres Bonds
have been at 67,
and Brazilian Four-and-a-Half
per Cents. at 101. Mexican Bonds have been
steady at 27A to 'J. Spanish New Deferred Bonds
have been 241. The Certificates have been at 68.
Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. have realised
66i to -66.
In Railways there is less doing but prices have
not varied much. Caledonian are firm. Midland
have been in greater request, and Norfolk are
higher. York and Berwick are very firm. Foreign
Shares have been higher as regards the French,
owing to the rise at Paris. This concerns the old
and established lines only, the many new schemes
that are being sanctioned not finding particular
favour. The French Government does perfectly
right to grant concessions while the money market
is favourable, but the question is whether our capi-
talists should favour this.
Joint Stock Bank shares have been rather firmer.
The Land Companies' shares are dull, but Scot-
tish Australian Investment keep up tolerably well.
In Gold Mine shares there is a moderate busi-
ness doing at steady quotations generally. United
Mexican are lower, the reports from the mines
being unfavourable.
The last week's railway receipts ascertained up
to this day, are in round figures as under :

_
1853. 1852,
Great Western £18,819 £18,14

North Western...

49, 451

46,33 q

12913,:285696707 12801,:986534031
South Western
Brighton
Midland
South Eastern 12,395 11,679
Caledonian
Great Northern
Lancashire and Yorkshire 18,022 15,790
York and North Midland
Newcastle and Berwick
25,511 22,775
'lt will be observed that these traffic returns are
all very satisfactory.
The prices of the Jamaica Mines are rather
higher. Metcalfe, 14 to 15 prem. ; Jamaica, 5 to
prem. ; Port Royal, to prem. ; and Sue
River, 1i to 2 prem.
Canada Trunk, to 1.1. prem ; and Central of
France, 21 to prem. Australasian Coal, 3-16ths
to 1-16th die.
The following are extracts from a letter received
by the last Australian arrival, dated from the
" diggins" at Golden Gully :
" I suppose by this time you have got my letter from
Melbourne, wherein I dare say I expressed myself any-
thing but satisfied with thingsin general, and the town
in particular. With respect to Melbourne, I have no
reason to alter my opinion, and every one appears to
think as I do—that it is a detestable place. It was
natural, however, for me to write in that strain, after
living in a fine city, and leaving behind all that is dear
to one. At the diggings the post-office arrangements
are so inefficient that it is safe neither to send letters
from nor to them ; still less is it with regard to news-
papers, so that I shall not be able to send you any. You
want to know how I like the diggins. I like them much,
for a rough, hard, independent life appears suitable to
my character. It wont do.for every cockney, however,
nor can every constitution stand it, for very many of
our shipmates have returned to town, in many cases
severely ill of dysentery. It is hard, very hard, work
even in pleasant weather, and now that the sun begins
to roast you, and the flies get into your eyes, ears, nose,
and mouth, it is trying indeed to the spirit of - the
bravest. We have been hear about ten days, and be-
tween seven of Us have realised one ounce ; so that it
is not gain that keepki up our pluck. You can't get
vegetables, or cooling drinks, or beer, except at an ex-
orbitant price, consequently, our fare is bad indeed—
mutton, and that none of the best—and damper every.
day ; still, I like the life. It would be wrong to think
that diggers are not companionable people ; you may
listen for hours to their recitals of adventure without
feeling tired. I find a singularly good feeling prevail-
ing among them towards one who does his best, and
wherever we go we experience a cordial reception ; for
they admire a hard-working man, and give us uncon-
ditional praise for dragging up our truck. As a
body, they.are indeed most honest, it is they who cap-
ture nearly all the wretches you meet handcuffed in a
cart going to town. On one occasion, they entrapped
30 odd at one full swoop, by surrounding the tent in
which they were, and you frequently see them leading
off men to the constables tents. Over the hill here at
Friar's Creek, scarcely a day passes that two or more
are not captured ; robberies and murders are too com-
mon to create any surprise. You become used to these
things, and making up your mind to kill or be killed,
sleep soundly and go abroad quite without care. Every
one complains that there is nothing doing at the dig.
gings now. This is quite natural, for here men have got
20 pounds weight in one.day. If they get an ounce a
day now they call it poor work. There is apparently
little sordid feeling among these men, for they frequently
tell you their losses and gains, and give you any infor-
mation you may ask of them, in many cases at their
own expense, to my certain knowledge. The main
reason of this as it appears to me is that
if they don't get gold where they are they will
somewhere else ; and this notion it is; that makes them
reckless in spending it. They rely on the discovery of
new diggins where pounds weight are to be had. There
are tow, however, so many competitors in the field that
this chance is altogether different to what it was. In a
few days the place will be torn up and tunnelled in all
directions. If the gold ground, however, is as extensive
faosr aroundT
h"
et hwea
tl%'elro ne
rt
e, h '
ist ebrreacwillkis
adnodu bdtybs
ee
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vails, as does, likewise, the influenza, which carries many
off. Caution every one against buying digging tools in
England—they are useless here. --'s cradle is the
greatest sell ever made ; it is entirelyand utterly useless—
I mean that rocking deal wood thing. I am not describ-
ing the diggins because I am writing all in a hurry,
my messenger to Melbourne being within an hour
the
bright sun shines on the various shades.of the up-heaved
mounds of earth, interspersed with trees. At night, no-
thing can be more beautiful than the view from our
tent. My brother Hal will forward it to you. The wea-
ther here is fine and hot, with cool nights. Occasionally