The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-05 00:00:00

MONEY MARKET

AND
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWO O'CLOCK.
The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday
were estimated at 5,000 bales„ including 500
American taken on speculation. The market
closed tamely without change in prices. The sales
comprised 4,000 American, 250 Egyptian, at 6d.
to 9d., 500 Surat, at 3d. to 4id., and 300 Sea
Island at 10d. to 2s. lid. per lb. Railway Shares
were flat.

Letters to Australia and India, by way of
Southampton have to be posted this evening, or
before eight o'clock to-morrow morning.
The Post-office regulations for forwarding Par-
liamentary papers to the colonies are not generally
known, and it may be useful to give them :

" 1. At the same rates of postage at which Parlia-
mentary papers can be sent to any place in the United
Kingdom (including the Channel Islands), and on
the same conditions they can be transmitted to
the following colonies, if sent by packet, and
at double those rates if sent by private ship :
Heligoland, lonian Islands, *Nova Scotia, *New Bruns-
wick, Vancouver's Island, *Newfoundland, *Barbadoes,
Turk's Island, Falkland Island, Labuan, East Indies,
Cape of Good Hope, Mauritius, Sierre Leone, Gambia,
Natal, New South Wales, Western Australia, South
Australia, Van Diemen's Land, Victoria, New Zealand.
" When sent by packet, prepayment to the colonies
marked (*) is optional, but to the other colonies prepay-
ment is compilsory, and in all cases is prepayment com-
pulsory when the paper is sent by private ship.
"2. To those colonies between which and the mother
country a uniform letter postage has now been esta-
blished, equal to sixfold the inland letter rate, Parlia-
mentary papers are sent by packet at the same rates and
on the same conditions as ordinary books.
" The rates of postage by packet are these :—For a
Parliamentary paper not exceeding Ilb. in weight, 6d. ;
above -lb. and not exceeding llb., is. ; 11b. and not ex-
ceeding 21bs., 2s. ; and so on, increasing ls. for every
additional pound or fraction of a pound."

Various conditions are to be observed in sending
these papers. They must be without a cover, or
with a cover open at both ends, and each publi-
cation sent separately.
"The eff.,,ct of war upon the trade and property
of neutrals and Maritime Capture and Prize," is
the title of a pamphlet by Dr. James Parker Deane,
who has revised Wheaton's book published in 1815,
and altered it according to the " new reading."
The author, however, coincides in opinion with
most of our merchants—viz., that we are suffering
neutral traders to deprive us of the commerce
which we open so directly to them, and may not
easily recover after the war is ended.
The decision in the case of the Melbourne Gold
Mining Company as to the right of a shareholder
to sue the recovery of his deposit, bears out the
view taken some time back under this head, and,
in all probability, if confirmed by the Court above,
will be the prelude to numerous other actions
against the directors of abortive schemes.

The usual dividend of the South Sea Company
of 1 per cent. for the half year was declared this
day, with the addition of the income tax, which
would be paid by the company. An angry discus-
sion took place about the delay in not dividing the
company's stock amongst the proprietors, when an
act had been obtained to justify it. The reply was
that the best mode of doing so would be considered
by the directors after the meeting was over.
There was a slight improvement in the rates for
bills of exchange, negotiated here yesterday upon
some of the Continental cities, but Paris, 90 days,
was rather lower, being 25 25 to 27i, and Trieste
was not higher than 12 40 to 50. Amsterdam was
marked 11 17i to 17,1, and Hamburgh 13 51 to 6.
The notice issued respecting the dividends due
upon Consols, &c., runs thus :—" Bank of England,
July 3, 1854. otice is hereby given, that the
July dividends will be paid to the public on Satur-
day, the Bth of July next. William Smee, chief
accountant."

The question whether the Bank of England will
to-morrow lower its rate of discount, is much can-
vassed in the city, and if it wdre decided according
to the present ratio of mercantile profits, there
would not be a moment's hesitation in affirming
that the reduction ought to take place forthwith.
The apprehension, however, that some of our great
capitalists may speculate upon the exchanges so as
to send specie away, and participate in foreign
loans, will have a great effect in governing the
course of the Bank directors. The Turkish loan
will be for five millions sterling, and is expected
to be guaranteed by England and France.
The English stock market is quiet, and the
speculators are anxiously waiting to ascertain
whether the Bank of England will alter the rate of
discount. Consols have been 93i and are now
931- buyers. The New Three-and-a-Quarter per
Cents, have been marked 934 to 94, and the Three
per Cents. 93g to Bank Stock has risen to 208
and 209. Exchequer-bills are ls. discount to 2s.
premium, and Indian Bonds par to 3s. prem. Ex-
chequer Bonds scrip is at to premium.
There have been several transactions in Russian
Five per Cents. at 994 to per cent. above par ;
Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. have been 59
ex. div. ; Mexican are dull, at 241 ; Peruvian
Deferred are 521 ; Spanish Threes have been 182 ;
and the Certificate is at 4i.
The following are the nominal prices of foreign
Stocks : Grenada Deferred Bonds, 6k to 61 ;
Mexican, 24k to 241 ; Peruvian, 68 to 70 ; ditto 3
per Cents., 52 to 54 ; Portuguese 4 per Cents., 40
to 42 ; Russian 5 per Cents., 98 to 100 ; ditto 4
per Cents., 83 to 85 ; Spanish New Deferred, 17
to 181 ; ditto 3 per Cents., 37 to 39 ; ditto Certi-
ficates, 4 to 41 ; ditto Passive, n to 4/.
Railway Shares are rather firmer, and with more
doing in Midland, North Western, Caledonian,
and York and North Midland. French Shares are
quiet, but the other foreign undertakings have been
dealt in to a fair extent.
Mines and Banks are dull. Crystal Palace con-
tinue heavy. Land Shares steady.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES
( From the Oficial List.)

Business done.
203 9
3 per Cent. Reduced— Annuities . • 933 sif
931 4
Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 ...
Neerßa Llk
3 Si
t o
perek Cent.
4 11-16
Ditto 30 Years, Expire 10th Oct., 1859 4a
India Bonds, £lOOO
3 p
par
Ditto, under £lOOO
Consols for Opening 19th July
Exchequer Bills,2id.
R.lOOO
2500 2 p 1 d
Small par 3 p
Exchequer Bonds Scrip, 1858 ti 1p—
Ditto 1859 i i P
PRICE 0 F FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY.
Wexican 3 per Cent.
Peruvian Bonds, 44 per Cent. 69
Peruvian 3 per Cent.
Kussian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £ St 991 100} 100
Ditto 4:3 per Cent B3l 4
Spanish Bonds,l3 per Cent 374 x d
Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent .......
Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun 4l

Dividends on the above payable in London.
French Routes, 3 per Cent. 72f 50c Ex. 25f10c
Dutch Exchange, 2t per Cent. 12 Guil ..... 59t x d
THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols for Opening 19th July 931 g x d

THE NEW STEAM-SHIP PRINCE.—It was announced
yesterday afternoon that the Government have char-
tered the General Screw Company's new steam-ship
Prince, of 2,700 tons and 350-horse power, for three
months. This vessel is the largest of the company's
fleet, having been constructed by Messrs. Mare and Co.,
and the engines by Maudslay, Sous, ',and Field. She is
now being fitted out with the utmost despatch, and will
be ready for service in about 10 days.
CONTINENTAL EXCHANGES.—The letters from the
continent yesterday mention no alteration in the general
state of the exchanges. The Vienna advices confirm the
main particulars recently given of the intended loan. It
is said to have been fixed at a sum equal to 35,000,0001.
sterling, which may be extended, if practicable, to
50,000,0001. The instalments are to range over five
years, and the price of stock is to be 95, payable in
Bank paper, which, being virtually at a discount of 281
per cent., reduces the cost to 661. As the interest is to
be at the rate of 5 per cent., payable in silver, there
would seem a probability that these terms may render
the attempt successful, although great doubts of such a
result are still expressed, unless compulsion be resorted
to. It is understood that the loan which the Turkish
Government are now desirous of negotiating is for an
amount of stock sufficient to yield 5,000,0001. sterling—
one-half to be raised in London and one-half in Paris.
THE MARCHIONESS OF BREADALBANE'S BALL.—On
Monday evening the Marchioness of Breadalbane gave
a grand ball at Breadalbane House, Park-lane, to their
Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the
Princess Mary. The preparations were on this occasion
quite as magnificent and extensive as for the late enter-
tainment to her Majesty. The ball was given chiefly to
those who were not invited on that occason, to prevent
the saloons being overcrowded, and the company was of
course more numerous and general than at the previous
ball. The guests commenced arriving shortly after ten,
and continued to pour in rapidly until half-past one
o'clock, by which time upwards of 1,000 of the elite of
the nobility and fashionable world were present, in-
cluding a large and distinguished assemblage of both
Houses of Parliament and corps diplomatique. Their
Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the
Princess Mary, attended by Lady Suffield, Lady Vane,
and the Earl and Countess of Ashburnham, arrived at
ten minutes past eleven o'clock, and the dancing shortly
after commenced. Mr. Laurent's splendid band was in
attendance in the new ball-room ; and Messrs. Weip-
pert's full orchestra played in the second dancing saloon.
Dancing was continued until an advanced hour in the
morning.
THE HARVEST IN IRELAND.—The Banner of Ulster
publishes an elaborate report of the state of the crops in
the north, by which it appears that for years past there
has not been so hopeful a prospect of an abundant har-
vest as that which is now fast ripening to maturity,