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

MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS.

CITY; TWO O'CLOCK.

The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimated at 6,500 bales, of which 600 American
and 400 Egyptian were taken for export, and 600
on speculation. The market was heavy, and prices
in favour of buyers, except Egyptian, which com-
manded extreme prices, and Sea Island, which
were id. per lb. higher. The sales comprised
5,000 American, 250 Pernam and Maranham at
6fd. to 70. 30 Bahia at 6d., 500 Egyptian at
51d. to is. 2 d., 500 Surat at 3id. to 40. and 60
Sea Island at is. Bd. to 2s. 2iu. per lb. Railway
Shares were dull, at rather lower prices.
The six weeks' average price of wheat is 455. sd.
per quarter.

The public sales of wool were brought to a ter-
mination last evening, and the following report is
furnished by Mr. Henry P. Hughes :

"The attendance of our manufacturers and dealers
was large, that from the continent very small, and but
few purchases made for foreign account. The assort-
ment for this period was unusually good, comprising
many well-known first-rate flocks which should have
been here early last year, but arrived much after their
usual time, owing to the great difficulty in obtaining
hands in the colony to work the ships home.
Since my last circular our trade has continued
in the same uninterrupted healthy state. Previous
to the commencement of these sales many hold-
ers in the North sold out freely, and stocks in general
were very much reduced, so that the whole of the quan-
tity now offered was freely taken at an average advance
of ld. to 11d. per lb. on October sales. South Ameri-
can merino wool was in good request, and sold at full
rates. East India, owing to the scarcity of foreign wool
under is. per lb., was very much sought after, and sold
readily at about Ad. per lb. higher."
It appears that the rumours yesterday morning
about the falling off in the gold yield were so far
exaggerated that the receipts at Melbourne had
recently been at the rate of 5,000 to 8,000 ounces
daily, not weekly. Great as this reduction is, com-
pared with previous weeks, it is nevertheless
partly to be accounted for by the extensive
" prospecting" for new " diggings." Passengers
arrived by the Roxburgh Castle state that
the yield certainly was diminishing in many
localities, and that there was a general impression
that the Ovens district was no longer attractive for
the ordinary and unskilled miner. Mr. Hargraves,
the discoverer of gold in Australia, had, on the
contrary, expressed his opinion that there were
gold fields yet unexplored that will last out the
present generation. In a private letter now be-
fore us, and dated as early as November 5, at Mel-
bourne, it is stated :—" The news from the gold
fields is not at all encouraging at the present
moment, and the old hands are leaving the well-
worked gullies to discover new. I assure you
I am anything but sanguine as to the re-
sult of our expedition, and shall consider
myself lucky if I only get enough gold to keep me
while I am here."

The return of the sailors to their ships is signifi-
cant as to the smaller gains at the "diggings;" and
the great decline in freights now to be expected
here will be a boon to our merchants, as well as to
consumers in the colony.
The Funds are dull again, and there is no al-
teration in the price of Consols. The present
values are 99i- f . The Bank of England is charging
3 per cent. for loans on Exchequer Bills. This is
not helping the Goverament, and the " advertised"
bills have dropped to 3s. premium. Such a course
is, to say the least, quite contrary to the usual
harmony between the Bank and the Treasury.
East India Stock is at 265 to 2661. The Bonds
are 455. premium. Bank Stock is firm at 228.
The foreign market is very brisk. Grenada De-
ferred Stock brings 11i to 11. There are said to be
negotiations in progress between England and the
United States for the great canal. Mexican Bonds
have advanced to 241 and 25, and Peruvian to
107 and 108. Buenos Ayres Stock is at 62. Sar-
dinian Bonds have been marked 95 to f. New
Spanish Deferred Stock is at 24i to and the
Certificate at 7. The Swedish Loan brings
discount. The Greek Bonds of 1824 and 1825,
ex over-due Coupons are in demand, and
scarce at 7. The purchases are by influential
Dutch houses, and it is said the Goverment at
Athens has bought up the gerater part of this
Stock. Holders are looking for a great rise, whether
with reason time will determine.

Gold Mine Shares have been flatter, and sellers
predominate. British Australian Gold are down
± ; Colonial, #to ; Great Nugget, ; and Port
Philip, to The Australian also are fto
cheaper.
The Lp,nd. Companies Shares are generally
heavy, Agricultural, North British and. Scottish
Investment, being most affected. Peel River
even are not so good, although the advices from the
company's estate read exceedingly favourable.
In the Australian Bank Shares less is doing, and
they are cheaper to buy, except South Australia,
which have risen.

Crystal Palace Shares are higher.
Australasian Coal Mining Company's Shares are
being well paid upon, this being the last day.
The last week's railway receipts ascertained up to
this day, are in round figures as under:—

1853. 1852.
Great Western 15,281 14,396
North Western 43,049 41,111
South Western 8,403 8,819
Brighton
Midland 21,092 20,373
South Eastern
Caledonian
Great Nofthern
Lancashire and Yorkshire
York and North Midland
Newcastle and Berwick 9,698 12,748

The Railway Share Market is lower by about
tper cent., but there is not much doing. The
rench lines are not so high. Upper India have
been done at prem.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.
(From. the Official List.)

Business done.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities . 100 a
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 31 per Cent. Annuities.- ........... 1031 4 4
Long Annuities, Expire sth Jau., 1860 64
India Stock
India Bonds, £lOOO 45
Ditto, under £lOOO 47
Consols for Account 10th March 99a
Exchequer Bills 4d.
£lOOO. . .
£5OO l2
Small l2
Ditto Advertised 3
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS D.Y.
Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 per Cent 62
Grenada Bonds, Deferred,
Greek ex over-due Coupons

Mexican 3 per Cent 241 i 5
Peruvian 6 per Cent.
Portuguese 4 per Cent. 3Bl a d
Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent.
Ditto, 4A per cent IO3B 4
Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. 95 i
Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent 241 i i i
Spanish C6mmittee Cert. of Coup. not fun, 7 p S
Swedish Loan lit d
Turkish Loan, 6 per Cent., 1852 P
Belgian Bonds, 4i per Cent. Ex. 25fr 99
Dutch Exchange i per Cent.. —
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates....,.... .
TIIREE O'CLOCK.

Consols .
Ditto March Account..

9~ ~

WOODIN'S CARPET-BAG.--W. S. Woodin, the cele-
brated polyphonist and delineator of comic character,
has removed from the:Marionette Theatre in Adelaide-
street to the Myriographic Hall, hitherto known as the
Salle Robin, 232, Piccadilly. His opening evening on
Monday last at his new home was attended by a fashion-
able and delighted audience, who filled every portion of
this elegant salle. Mr. Woodin's popularity is so firmly
established that we may expect a lengthened continuance
of his unequalled entertainments.
THE ENGINEERS LIFE-OFFICE.—The annual meeting
of the Engineers' Masonic and Universal Mutual Life
Assurance Society took place on Tuesday at the So-
ciety's-office, No. 345, Strand. From the report of the
directors, it appeared that during the year 1852, 333
proposals for assurance had been received, of which 251
had been completed, assuring the sum of 60,3801.,
and producing annual premiums to the amount of
1,9751. lls. 2d. Forty-eight proposals for the assur-
ance of 15,9001. had been declined, and 34 for the
assurance of 7,1501. stood over for completion or fur-
ther consideration. The net income from premiums
was shown to be 10,0511. 15s. 5d., after deducting short
term, purchased, and lapsed policies, and those under
which claims had arisen. The number of deaths among
the members during the past year had been five, to the
amount of 1,2001. The chairman having answered
satisfactorily several questions respecting the financial
position of the society, the report was unanimously
adopted, and a suggestion having been made on the part
of the members, and agreed to by the directors, for the
Circulation of a balance-sheet before future annual
meetings, the meeting separated with a vote of thanks
to the chairman and officers of the society.
MAILS FOR AUSTRALIA.—The next mails for Aus-
tralia,, &c., will be made up at the General Post-office,
St. Martin's-le-Grand, to-morrow morning, the 4th inst.,
to be forwarded by the Indus mail steamer, from South-
ampton (and from Singapore by the new contract
packets). The mails that had been shipped on board
the Australian screw mail packet, which put back to
Plymouth on the 25th ult., disabled, will be forwarded
by the Indus ; great difficulty will, however, be expe-
rienced, it is expected, in their correct delivery, as the
major part of the addresses on the letters and news-
papers are much defaced in consequence of 'the salt
water having penetrated the bags. Letters and news-
papers will also be forwarded to Australia by the over-
land closed mail to India, on the evening of the Bth
instant, via Marseilles, but both must be prepaid.