The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-14 00:00:00

MONE Y MA RKE T

AND
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWO O'CLOCK.
This being Good Friday, the Stock Exchange,
Bank of England, and other public establishments
are closed, consequently there is nothing to report
under this head.

Bills of exchange on the foreign cities were nego-
tiated yesterday afternoon, and mostly at the pre-
vious rates. Trieste was higher.

THE PENINSULAR MAIL.

•
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY MORNING.
The Peninsular mail arrived at half-past five
o'clock by the Iberia. She brings 48 passengers,
1,3551. in specie, and an average cargo. Her dates
are—Gibraltar and Cadiz, April 5 ; Lisbon, April
9 ; Oporto and Vigo, April 10.
Exchange at Lisbon on London for bills at 90
days, 544 ; inscriptions, 34.
Her Majesty and City of Carlisle transport ships
left Gibraltar on the 3d for the East, with detach-
ments of Horse Artillery. The sloop steam-ship
Teneriffe arrived out from Liverpool on the 4th.
She observed on the 9th, 10 west of Cape Roco,
the Trent; and the Orinoco, 21 north of Benlys,
with troops for the East.

ROYAL CYCLORAMA, ALBANY-STREET.

A private view took place last evening of a series of
pictures of large dimensions, being 80 feet by 40. The
subjects are moving views of the Bay of Naples, Pom-
peii, and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, painted by
Mr. J. IPNevan. The object of the artist is to con-
duct the spectator along the coast of the Bay of Naples,
at such a distance that the details of its architectural
and scenic beauties may be easily observed, and
the customs of the fishermen in their picturesque
dresses, until he comes to the town of Terre-
del-Greece, illuminated on the feast of its patron,
with animated groups of peasants. He is then pre-
sented with a view of Pompeii as it now appears after
the excavation, with its mutilated temples, theatres,
forums, pictures, columns, and marble amphitheatre,
the latter of which is said to have been capable of contain.
ing 20,000 persons. Mr. J. M'Nevan spent the summer
of 1852 amidst the palaces of Naples and the ruins of
Pompeii ; every detail of these places has, we are
assured, been painted from the original with scrupu-
lous accuracy. The scenes are very effective, and,
at the same time that the spectator feels that he is look-
ing at every house, or each ruin of classic interest as it
stands, he is not deprived of the pleasure of admiring
the beauties of the surrounding country, which are
represented with due regard to their real appearance in
nature. He has also the advantage of seeing the views
under various coloured lights, which produce very pleas-
ing changes. The exhibition of the paintings is relieved
by musical illustrations, performed on the grand apollo-
nicon by Mr. Henry W. A. Beale in very excellent style.
No doubt this new effort for the amusement of the pub-
lic by the spirited proprietors of the Royal Colosseum
will prove highly attractive, particularly when accom-
panied, which it will be on Monday next, by an instruc-
tive lecture. The whole was much applauded.

SEIZURE OF STEAM-SHIPS BY TEE

CUSTOMS.

_ -
The history of the seizures of the steamers may be thus
stated :—From information received at the Customs in
December last, that some ships were being built for a
foreign power (not Russia) at war with a State in amity
with this country, the attention of Mr. Scanlan (the offi-
cer who appears to have been charged with the manage-
ment of these matters from the commencement) was di-
rected to the necessary inquiries. In the course of his
examination he found that two war frigates were being
built at Northfleet, by Mr. Pitcher, and as he had reason
strongly to suspect for the Russian Government. This
impression of the officer became soon confirmed, by a
formal communication from the Home Department early
in January last, informing the Customs of the fact, and
directing the necessary inquiries. The Customs having
given directions accordingly, Mr. Scanlan did prosecute
his inquiries, although unknown to Mr. Pitcher, and as-
certained the character and forwardness of the vessels. It
will be enough to state that they were screw steamers, of
large tonnage, and constructed for purposes of war, of the
best materials, and at an apparently immense expense. At
this stage matters had not reached the point which justified
a seizure, and the officer continued to keep the vessels
under strict surveillance. About the end of Jannary
one of the vessels was ready to be launched ; the other
was not in the same state of forwardness, but the work
progressed with great activity. The officer continued
his observations, and about the middle of March, finding
that a considerably increased number of hands were at
work on the incomplete vessel, and hearing that a report
bad been circulated among the men that the vessels were
purchased by the British Government for the purposes
of war, and that they were to be got ready for sea with
the least possible delay, reported the fact, and suggested
the expediency of ascertaining from the proper autheri-
' ties whether the report in question was correct. The
result was a communication from the Home-office and
the Admiralty, denying the truth of the report. Matters
continued in this state until the circumstances of the
case appeared sufficient to warrant a seizure, and on the
4th of April, in pursuance of the orders of the Trea-
sury, the vessels were seized as " the property of an
enemy." The vessels are at this moment under deten-
tion as forfeited to the Crown, and nothing was heard
of a proposal to transfer them by voluntary sale to her
Majesty's Government until after the seizure had been
made by which they were alienated from the former
owners.