The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-01 00:00:00

3IHSEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS.

CITY, TWO O'CLOCK.
The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimated at 5,000 bales. The market was heavy,
without alteration in prices. The sales comprised
4,600 American, 400 Egyptian at 6d. to Bd., and
10 Sea Island at is. 9d. to 2s. sd. per lb. Railway
Shares were rather firmer.
The following report upon the Manchester mar-
ket is furnished by Messrs. M'Nair, Greenhow, and
Irving :

" Increased and increasing activity and energy con-
tinue to be the attributes of nearly all the manufacturing
interests of the country, accompanied and sustained by
a conviction of almost universal prevalence, that what-
ever may arise in future to impede the course of steady
or progressive improvement, every individual, so far,
has only tended to confirm the general belief that
the progress of these various interests have been
founded on and carried out upon a legitimate
basis. Here, however, in this market, during the
last fourteen days a comparative suspension of
operations may be said to have taken place unless
for immediate wants, arising from the large tran-
sactions entered into during the previous months' the
somewhat less favourable bi-monthly accounts from
India, and the gradually declining state of the cotton
market, which have, collectively, induced much
greater caution among buyers. At the date of
our last monthly circular, this market _ was ex-

ceedingly active and buoyant, • but the advices re-
ceived by the American steamer, in reference to
cotton, havinginduced spinners and manufacturers to
demand higher rates, an immediate check was given
which gradually lessened the action of operating parties

until the period referred to—viz., the 15th, since which,
matters have stood as indicated. From previously exist-
ing contracts, in both goods and yarns, the deliveries,
aided materially, notwithstanding by what we may rea-
sonably, under the circumstances, term considerable
purchases have been of great magnitude."
Stocks are rather firm this morning with more
business doing for transfer. The settlement of the
differences between Turkey and Austria has had a
decided effect as far as strengthening confidence,
and the large arrivals from Australia are neces-
sarily influencing the public mind. Consols have
been 99i to I for transfer, and 99i for account.
The New 31 per Cents. have realised 103# to
Bank Stock is at 227 to 2271.-- South Sea Stock
has been done at 110. Exchequer Bills are 14s. to
18s. premium, except for those advertised, which
realise only ss. to 6s. premium. East India Bonds
are at 40s. premium.
In the Foreign Market there is little doing. The
probability of a new Spanish Loan being contracted,
and of the certificate being taken in part payment,
has caused these to rise to 6i and 71. Mexican
Bonds have been firm at 24g- Brazilian Old
Five per Cents. have realised 103, and Venezuela
Deferred 16i. There have been bargains in Dutch
2i per Cents. at 661, in Austrian at 97-i for the
Five per Cents., and in Sardinian at 95k.
The Railway Market is more buoyant and with
increased transactions higher prices have been
realised for one or two lines. The general business,
however, is not large. Caledonian, Great Western,
Midland, South Wales, and York, and North
Midland have been in most request. French
shares are dull, but have risen.
The shares of the Australian Gold Mines have
been at full prices, but a further rise cannot be
generally quoted.
The Land Companies shares are looking up. As
regards some of them, it is astonishing that the
improvement is not far greater, the South Aus-
tralian, for example, land being in universal de-
mand in the colonies at most exorbitant' values.

Thus property, which a few years since was sold.
for 1,0001., has had 48,0001. offered and refused for
it. For lands two miles out of Melbourne, 41. per
foot frontage, with a depth of 100 feet, has been
refused.

The Joint Stock Bank shares have risen again,
especially the Bank of Australasia.
The directors of the English and Australian
Copper Company have received advices from their

agent at Melbourne, with a remittance of 500 oz.

gold dust per the Roxbury Castle.

B.RITISH FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK THIS DAY
svm the Official List.)

- 2277 ness cone.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities ... 100 a ft a
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 3i per Cent. Annuities lO3l g g g
India Bonds, £lOOO —

.. 40
.. 110

Ditto, under £lOOO
South Sea Stock
Consols for Account 10th March
Exchequer Bills lid.
£lOOO l7 18 14
£SOO
Small
Ditto Advertised 6 5
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK
Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent. 971

-90 i 1

Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cem;.
Danish 3 per Cent.
Ditto 5 per Cent 104; x
Mexican 3 per Cent
Russian Bonds, 5 per Cont.
Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. 954
Spanish ConnnLtee Ccrt. of Coup. not fun, 6-j 74 p
Venezuela Bonds 34 per Cent.
Ditto Deferred, 1 per Cent l6j
Belgian Boads, 43 per Cent. Ex. 25fr 99
Dutch Exchange 2j per Cent.
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates.......... 99
HALF-PAST TWO.
991
99i

Consols
Ditto March Account

TRANSFER OF THE AUSTRALIAN MAIL.

Last evening a singular scene took place at the General
Post-office in St. Martin's-le-Grand. Early in the morning
of yesterday the mail bags, 33 in number, recently sent to
Plymouth to be borne by the Australian for Melbourne,
Sydney, and the vicinity of the gold regions, were brought
back to the Post-office in consequence of the vessel being
disabled. 28 of these bags--or as they are called in the
official parlance " portmanteaus" were completely satu-
rated, so that it was considered necessary to open them,
and examine the mass of correspondence they contained.
The large leather receptacles for the bags having been un-
fastened, the bags were taken out and opened, when it was
discovered that the letters and newspapers, several thou-
sand in number, were soaked through, it being scarcely
possible to handle them without their falling to pieces, or
the outsides peeling off. Hundreds of the covers of the
newspapers have been washed off, and in scores of other
cases the addresses both upon letters and newspapers are
quite obliterated, while many more are illegible. Shortly
after the receipt of the mail at the Post-office orders were
given by the superintending president that its contents
should be without delay removed to the long range of car-
penters' workshops situate in the basement in front of the
building, where a large number of charcoal fires were kin-
dled. The letters, papers, &c., were then placed along the
rooms on benches, several men being employed to keep them
turned. Eight sorters were ordered to remain during the
night to put aside all the legibly addressed letters and
papers, it being the intention of the authorities to send off
the whole of those that can be made out by the overland
mail on the 4th instant. The spectacle in the basement last
evening was exceedingly singular, and the whole scene,
under the circumstances, calculated to excite feelings of pity
and regret of no every-day character.
MARKET NEWS--(THIS DAL)