The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-18 00:00:00

AMERICAN COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS.

The commercial advices from the United States this
week show that the year has opened with every pros-
pect of an improving money market, and an extension
of trade even beyond that which was experienced in
1853. The quantities of breadstuffs at the west are
reported to be very large, and, as the facilities of transit,
owing to the extension of railroads, are no longer de-
pendent on the frosts, which close the canals, constant
and heavy supplies, attracted by the prices now reached
in Europe, will arrive at the shipping ports throughout
the winter. The usual annual returns of the finances
and commerce of the country had just been published,
and present many remarkable facts. The entire depo-
sits of gold at the Mint and its branches in 1853 ;
amounted to 11,130,0001., and coinage to a nearly equal
amount had been issued ; while the total deposits since
the Californian discoveries in 1848 have been 42,520,0001.
—making an average of about 8,000,0001. per annum.
With regard to the export trade of 1853, as compared
with the preceding year, the following comparative
statement is furnished, but in this case the accounts are
those of the fiscal year, which ends on the 30th of
June :-
1852. 1853.
Fisheries £476,500 ... £656,000
Timber 1,573,000 ... 1,583,000
Agricultural products 1,264,700 ... 1,914,000
Vegetable food 3,977,300 ... 4,758,600
Cotton 17,593,000 ... 21,901,300
Tobacco 2,006,200 ... 2,264,000
Cotton goods 1,534,500 ... 1,753,800
Other manufactures 2,561,000 ... 3,153,200

30,986,200 ... 37,983,900
Specie 7,500,000 ... 4,700,000

£38,486,200 £42,683,900

The Earl and Countess of Airlie, who have gone on a
tour in the Italian States, are expected to return to this
country early in the spring.
The Earl and Countess Cowper and a family circle
are staying on a visit to the Earl de Grey, at Wrest
Park. The noble Earl has recovered from his recent
serious indisposition.

The Earl and Countess Granville arrived in Bruton-
street yesterday, from a visit to the Duke and Duchess
of Sutherland, at Trentham Hall.
The Earl and Countess of Desart have arrived at the
St. George's Hotel from Desart Castle.
The Hon. Robert H. Clive, M.P., has rallied, but we
regret to state that the hon. gentleman remains in a
precarious state at Oakley Park.
The Duchess Dowager of Beaufort and the Ladies
Somerset are still staying in retirement at Badminton
Park, where the noble Duke and Duchess, with the
youthful Earl of Glamorgan and family, are also
sojourning. Shortly after the re-assembling of Parlia-
ment, on the 31st instant, his Grace, who has been
summoned to the House of Peers, will take the oaths
and his seat.

The Viscountess Stratford de Redcliffe and the Hon.
Misses Canning, who are staying on a visit to Lady
Stuart de Rothsay, at Highcliffe, near Christchurch,
Hants, are expected to return to Grosvenor-square at
the close of the ensuing week. We have reason to
believe that it was the expressed desire of our Minister
at the Court of the Sultan that his family should not
join him at Constantinople.
The mortal remains of the late Field Marshal
Viscount Beresford were interred yesterday at Kilndown,
near Bedgebury, Seven Oaks. Viscount Cranbourne,
accompanied by Mr. Johnson, Mr. A. Beresford Hope,
and other relatives attended the obsequies.
The Barnacre estate, late the property of the Duke
of Hamilton, has found a purchaser in Mr. Alderman
Thompson, M.P., for the sum of 98,0001.
M. Baugniet has returned to Beaumont-street, Port-
land-place, after a visit of nearly four months to the
Continent ; and, we are happy to add, in such a state of
health as to give assurance that there will be no inter-
mission of the services which for so long a time he has
rendered to art.
THE PRINCE ALBERT CORRESPONDENCE. —ln the
Daily News of yesterday, we find an indignant letter
from Mr. Thomas Mulock, dated from Killiney, near
Dublin, in which the writer states that the correspon-
dence, published in the London papers a few days since,
is not a hoax, but absolutely genuine, the autographs
having been shown to the Editor of the Dublin paper in
which the letters first appeared, previous to their publi-
cation, Mr. Mulock thinks that Prince Albert did
nothing more than common courtesy demanded, in
acknowledging the sympathising tone of the letter ad-
dressed to him.—Morning Post.
THE MANSION HOUSE.—The Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor and Lady Mayoress entertained, in the Egyp-
tian-hall, Mansion House, last evening, at a sumptuous
banquet, the Court of Aldermen and their ladies, ac-
cording to ancient custom, and a distinguished party.
Amongst them were the Right Hon. Lord John Rus-
sell and Lady Russell, Rear-Admiral Sir Watkin C.
Pell, Sir Joshua Walmsley, M.P., Sir George Staunton,
Mr. John Masterman, MX., Mr. Wm. J. Chaplin,
M.P., and Mrs. Chaplin, Mr. Richard Swift, M.P., and
Mrs. Swift, Captain Gordon, rG. E. Hodgkinson,
Mr. Matthews, master of cutlers and alderman of Shef-
field ; Mr. J. A. Flankey, Mr. Alderman Thompson,
M.P., and Mrs. Thompson, Mr. Alderman and Miss
Farebrother, Mr. Ald. Copeland, Mr. Ald. and Mrs.
Wilson, Mr. Alderman and Mrs. Humphery, Sir Wm.
Magnay, Bart., Sir James Duke, Bart., M.P., and Mrs.
Hill, Mr. Alderman Farncombe and Miss Stone, Mr.
Alderman and Miss Hunter, the Right Hon. Stuart
Wortley, Q.C. and M.P., Mr. Alderman Moon, Mr.
Alderman Salomons, Mr. Alderman Finnis, Sir R. W.
and Lady Carden, Mr, Sheriff and Mrs. Wire, Mr.
Under-Sheriff and Mrs. Anderton, Mr. Under-Sheriff
Smith, Mr. John and Mrs. Laurie, Mr. Pilcher, Mr.
Evans, Sir John Key, Bart., Mr. Spottiswoode, Mr.
and Mrs. Kennard, Mr. Charles Hill, Mr. Murphy,
Rev. J. B. Murray, Mr. and Mrs. Cotterell, Mr. and
Mrs. John Bradbury, Mr. and Mrs. Holyland, Mr.
Lowry, Mr. K. Kay, Mr. and Mrs. Solly, Mr. and
Mrs. Goodhart, Dr. Mason, Miss Hall, Mr. Salome,
and Mr, Sheriff Wallis's chaplain.