The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-01 00:00:00

MINING INTELLIGENCE.

(Front the Mining Journal of this day.)
There is very little alteration to report in the mining
market. A fair amount of business has been doing in di-
vidend mines, especially in South Tamar, where the trans-
actions have been very large. A good deal of attention is
being attracted towards the Welsh gold mines, and shares
in some of them are selling at very high premiums.
In the metal market, the demand is very general,
and a large business doing, notwithstanding the tight-
ness of the money market, which has caused the price
of Straits tin to drop to 61. 2s. per cwt. Holders
of Banes, however, stand out for an advance, and
with the exception of tin-plates, the market is
very buoyant, in face of which the smelters have,
within a few weeks, reduced the price to the miner about
lOs per cwt.—Copper also is in the same state ; prices are
well maintained, and there is no prospect of the Russian
dispute having any real or lasting effect upon that article ;
in fact, they produce enough to supply themselves. Our
smelters hare, however, been gradually dropping the stan-
dard, and at Swansea, ou Tuesday last, and in Cornwall,
on Thursday, it will be seen, they made a considerable de-
cline, which we trust is but temporary.—ln Lead and
Spelter, a fair average business has been doing, the former
likely to advance in price.—A farther decline in Scotch
Pig-iron of 3s. has taken place, on account of forced sales
for money.
The gold mining share market this week has been very
inactive, and the tendency of prices, on the whole, has been
downwards. The colonial gold shares are only maintained
at par, in spite of the 7 per cent. dividend, declared at the
meeting on Tuesday last, while all other stocks are
quiescent. The accounts received by the last mail from
California, stated in most cases a falling off had been ob-
served in the yield of gold, and that which is now attain-
able will have to be got by tedious operations.

WAR PROCLAIMED AT THE ROYAL EXCHANGE.—Yes-
terday (Friday), in accordance with the ancient custom
of entering upon a war by proclamation at the usual re-
sort of merchants, the civic authorities proceeded to the
Royal Exchange, and, having ascended the steps at the
grand entrance, her Majesty's declaration of war against
Nicholas, Emperor at all the Russian, was read in a clear
voice by Mr. Samuel Beddome, sergeant-at-arms and
macebearer to the corporation. At the conclusion three
hearty cheers were given by a very numerous concourse
of persons who had assembled to witness the ceremony.
MAIL FOR AUSTRALIA.—A mail for Australia, Vic-
toria, New South-Wales, and Van Diemen's Land will
be made up on Monday evening, the 3d inst., to be for-
warded by the Queen of the South, appointed to sail
from Southampton on Tuesday, the 4th inst. All
letters, &c., not specially addressed to be forwarded by
any other route will be sent by this ship. Letters ls.
the half-ounce, and so on ; newspapers free. The
Great Britain steamer, appointed to leave Liverpool on
the 13th of April, will take a ship letter bag for Mel-
bourne.
THE MURDER AND SUICIDE IN REGENT'S PARR.—
Yesterday Mr. Wakley held an inquest on the bodie' of
James and Prudence Martin, the latter of whom was
murdered on Wednesday morning last by James Martin,
who afterwards committed suicide by cutting his throat,
at their residence, 47, Clarence-gardens, Regent's park.
The harrowing particulars of this awful case, have
already been published in The Sun,. The jury found as
their verdict—" That James Martin did deprive his wife
of life with a knife while he was in an unsound state of
mind, and that he afterwards deprived himself of life
by similar means, he being then in an unsound state of
mind."

PRESENT FROM HER MAJESTY TO THE DUKE OF
CAMBRIDGE.—A magnificent silver camp equipage, c(111-
structed by command of her Majesty, as a present to
the Duke of Cambridge, has just been completed by the
Messrs. Garrard, and forwarded for the use of his Royal
Highness. The same firm have also just completed a
camp equipage for Lord Raglan, which will leave
Southampton this day.
DESTRUCTION OF HUNGERFORD HALL._
fine
building—one of the speculative structures of the Exhi-
bition year—was totally destroyed by fire, which broke
out about half-past seven o'clock last evening. The fire
is said to have originated by a boy employed in the
diorama having carried a lighted candle too near to a
portion of the picture. No satisfactory intelligence
could be obtained as to the fate of two boy 4 described as
Wain.