The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-28 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

His Excellency the Portuguese Minister was prevented
attending the Levee yesterday, on account of his recent
,indisposition, from which he is gradually recovering at
St. Leonard's on Sea.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Orleans visited
the Queen on Tuesday.
The Earl of Aberdeen had an audience of her Majesty.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess d'Aumale, the
Duchess de Nemours, and the Princess de Salerno visited
the Queen yesterday.
The Duchess d'Orleans, the Duchess d'Aumale, and
the Princess de Salerno visited the Duchess of Kent
yesterday.

THE METAL MARKET.--The apprehensions entertained
yesterday regarding difficulties in the metal market were
confirmed this morning by the announcement that some
large acceptances of Mr. John Attwood had not been
met. During the day this gentleman's uncovered lia-
bilities were currently stated to be little less than half
a million, but it has been ascertained that they scarcely
reach one-fourth of that amount, while it is also under-
stood that their ultimate discharge will be effected from
the realisation, if necessary, of landed property.
LOUISIANA STATE BONDS.—Baring Brothers have an-
nounced the payment of the dividends due Ist and 9th of
May on the Louisiana State Bonds issued in favour of
the second municipality of New Orleans, and those
issued in favour of the Mechanics' and Traders' Bank.
EXPORTS TO TURKEY, RUSSIA, AND AUSTRIA--Yes-
txrday a return to Parliament was printed, showing that
in 1851 the declared value of the exports to Turkey was
2,581,230/. ; to Russia, 1,289,7041. ; and to Austria,
812,9421.

MARINE SOCIETY.—T h e
anniversary
evening of
f a
t this
society was celebrated yesterday London
valuable
Tavern ; Lieutenant-General Sir J. L. Lushington,
the
K.C.8., in the chair. The institution was founded in
1756, for the purpose of training for the sea boys
who might otherwise have formed a portion of the
dangerous classe." Since that time it has brought up
no fewer than 49,884 boys for the Royal, the East India
Company's, or the merchant service, and it has also aided
j 39,360 landsmen with a bounty of sea clothing on their
oining the Royal Navy. The last year's returns showed
3 boys sent to the Royal Navy, and 467 to the mer-
chant service • and the society retained 150 still upon its
books. It had also aided 43 widows of naval officers,
and had disbursed other sums for charitable purposes.
The total receipts from subscriptions, legacies and in-
terest on stocks had amounted to upwards of 9,000/.
The usual toasts were duly honoured, and subscriptions
amounting, exclusive of several handsome legacies, to 6301. were announced.

MONEY MARALT AND COiIiMERCLA

INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, TWO ()CLOCK.

The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimated at 6,000 bales, all to the trade. The
market wa,,tea:lyat previous rates. Tile sales
comprised 4,500 American, 240 Pernam and Ma-
ranham at 64d. to 7id., 200 Bahia at 6id. to
610., 200 Egyptian at 6d. to le., 600 Surat at aid.
to 4id., per lb. Railway shares were firmer.
The temporary difficulties of Mr. Attwood, a
large operator in the iron market, have now be-
come so notorious, that motive for concealment no
longer exists. From what we understand, Mr.
Attwood entered into speculations in Staffordshire
some time back, which have resulted unfor-
tunately, but the liabilities, instead of being half a
million sterling, as reported, will not exceed
150,0001. to 200,0001., and the landed property
will afford a good dividend. As to payment in
full, we always feel reluctant in cases suspension
to anticipate such good results.
By the arrival of the sailing vessel Vimeira,
Sydney accounts of Feb. 2, have been received,
being much later than those previously to hand.
This vessel has performed the voyage in the short
space of 82 days and 20 hours. The Sarah Sands
left on the 29th of January, but she was to call at
Port Philip afterwards and at the Cape. The
amount of specie on board the Sarah Sands when
she left Sydney was 65,000 ounces. Freights for
tallow were at 305., and for wool at id. to id. per
lb. The prices of gold had risen to 31. 13s. 6d.
per oz., and a great change had occurred in the
rate of exchange, namely, from 8 to 5i and 4 per
per Cent. discount for bills drawn against produce.
It was feared that a good deal of spurious gold had
already been sent to England, but the excitement
arising from this cause had greatly subsided and
confidence was returning. From the " far south
diggins," as they are termed, namely, the Ovens,
most encouraging advices had been received.
There were 15,000 persons upon them, and new
discoveries were being made almost daily. There were
many instances of 1,0001. being netted in one day.
Deposits had been found on the road nearer to Syd-
ney • and the whole district between Yam and
Gundagin appears to contain the precious metal.
The Adelong range was said to be also an exten-
sive gold district. At Ophir the average daily
earnings of the 2,000 diggers were k oz. per man.
The attempt to tax foreigners double for their
licenses was likely utterly to fail. Of the condition
of the commercial markets the most satisfactory
statements are made. There was afurther advance
in wool and tallow, probably owing to the rise in
the Exchange, and large quantities of produce were
arriving. Imported goods of various securities
were becoming scarce, and of spirits the stock was
getting low. Thus far the glut which existed at
the beginning of the year has given way before the
large consumption. A general holiday was to be
observed at Sydney, on the 12th of February, to
celebrate the anniversary of the gold discoveries.
The escort had brought to the end of January,
into Sydney 16,0001., and from Melbourne by sea
20,000 ounces had been received. Altogether we
look upon these advices as the most satisfactory
that have come to hand for some time past.
The steamer Great Britain, now at Bristol, is to
undergo important alterations before she again
leaves for Australia. One of her masts will be
taken away, and the other three will be square-
rigged fore and aft, much the same as a 60-gun
frigate. She will, consequently, combine all the
powers of a clipper ship, as well as the auxiliary
screw, having a full complement of seamen. Her
departure will be delayed until the end of June.
The English Funds have been firm, but there is
not much doing. Consols have been quoted 100 i.
for transfer, and 1001 to 101 for account. The
New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents. have realised
1031 to k, and the Three per Cents. 100 to k.
Bank Stock is supported at 227 k. Exchequer
Bills of March have been 3s. to 75., and East
India Bonds 335. to 40s. premium.
In the Foreign market the half monthly account
is being arranged, and not much business is doing.
Spanish 3 per Cents. have risen to 23-3 The
Certificates are at Q. Mexican have been down
to 27f and 26g. Greek Red Bonds are at 11f.
Dutch Stock, after being 64i for the 2k per Cents.,
has rallied to 65k. The cause of the decline in
Mexican is the threat to expel Mr. Falconnent for
bribing members of Congress, but that gentleman
had publicly denied the charge.
The last week's railway .receipts ascertained up
to this day, are in round figures as under :

Great Western

North Western.
South Western.

Brighton .
Midland ..

South Eastern.

Caledonian

Great Northern

Lancashire and Yorkshire

1853. 1852.
. £1,8051 £1,8786

.... 50,088 45,488
.... 10,892 11,044

9,994 9,611
23,703 23,393

12,651 12,549

9,234

15;225 11,680

... 18,160 15,636

The settlement of the account being in progress
in the Share Market, prices are affected thereby,
and they have exhibited an upward tendency.
This is in favour of the presumption that real buyers
are coming forward and taking the stock into the.r
names. Even the North-Western shares are better
upon the detailed explanations that have been
published. Great Northern are in favour, being
up 1/. to 2/. ; but the South-Western, Great
Western, and Caledonian are also higher. French
Shares are quiet but firm.
The Gold Mine Shares for the most part are
steady, with a limited business doing.
In the Land Companies there is an improvement
—the South Australian being up 1/.

The Joint-Stock Banks of Australia are also
rising. Australasia are 1/. to 2/. higher, and the
Union of Australia have improved similarly.

BRITISH FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK THIS DA-Y
( From the Official List.)
Business done.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities lOOl
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 34 per Cent. Annuities
Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860
Ditto 30 Years, Expire sth Jan., 1860 64 3-16
India Bonds, £lOOO
Ditto, under £lOOO 4O 33
Consols for Account , lOl 1001
Exchequer Bills lid. June. March.
£lOOO.
X5OO 3 7
Small 3 7
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK.

Greek Bonds, Red
Mexican 3 per Cent.
Ditto for the Account 274 7
Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent.
Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent.
Spanish 3 per Cent., New Deferred
Ditto for the Account 23A
Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun 6fi p c
Dividends on the above payable in London.
Belgian 4i per Cent.
Dutch Exchange, 2A per Cent. 12 Gull. .., 64i 5i
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates.. 95
HALF-PAST TWO.
.... 100 H
.... 100 i 1

Consols
Ditto May Account

MAIL CONTRACT SYSTEM.—The views of the Govern-
ment on the mail contract sytem expressed in the House
of Lords last night have been received in the City with
gratification. The improvidence of former cabinets,
which has saddled the country with annual payments
amounting to 800,0001. a-year, is to be remedied upon
every occasion when the falling in of contracts may
afford an opportunity ; and, although the vicious prac-
tice of granting fixed subsidies is not to be altogether
abandoned, they are henceforth to be for periods so li-
mited as to render their discontinuance easy whenever
it shall be demanded by the irresistible progress of pub-
lic opinion. In the case of the cancelled contract with]
the Australian Company, tenders are to be invited from
new quarters for the performance of the bi-monthly ser-
vice which has thus lapsed, but the sum to be granted is
very small, and the contract is to be given to those who
shall offer to perform the voyage in the shortest period,
no dictation being exercised with regard to the route to
be chosen, so that the advocates of the Panama line will
be placed on a footing with competitors rid the Cape or
elsewhere. In discussing these points, all parties seemed
ready to condemn the course hitherto pursued, although
it was attempted to apologize for some of the early con-
tracts by the plea that the vessels and stations for their
fulfilment required an outlay which no company would
have adventured upon in the absence of a lengthened
grant, and, without such an arrangement there would
have been no steam communication at all. The argu-
ment in this respect, however, apart from being inhe-
rently unsound, afforded no justification of the recent
renewal of the Cunard and West India subsidies, the

former at 171,3641., and the latter, 270,0001. per annum,
at a time when steamers of all sorts, without any bounty,
were actually preparing to carry on a competition which
has since proved successful even in the face of the mono-
poly established against them.

PROFESSOR AYTOUN'S LECTURES ON POETRY.—We

unde►:stand that the brilliant course of lectures on Poetry
recently delivered by Professor Aytoun in this city are
about to be repeated in London ; and we have no doubt
that the very flattering reception they met with here will
be fully equalled in the southern metropolis. Nothing
can be more interesting than the mode in which the Pro-
fessor treats his subject,—nothing more felicitous and
effective than his delivery ; while the eminent truthful-
ness and acumen which mark his critical canons are
instantaneously appreciated by every one who is a judge
of what true poetry is. These lectures are doubly
interesting, inasmuch as their author is himself a poet of
high standing,—his " Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers "
being the most popular poems of the age, and far tran-
scending in energy and poetic fire even the celebrated
"Lays of Rome," by which Mr. Macaulay has wreathed
for himself an enduring circlet of Parnassian laurel.—
Edinburgh. Advertiser, April 26, 1853.