The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-21 00:00:00

IVIXSCELMANEOITS.

On Friday evening last, owing to the collision of the
down-train from London with another engine on the
Croydon railway, three or four railway labourers, and
four or five passengers were severely injured.
At Hatfield, the Marquis of Salisbury's seat, which
her Majesty is expected to visit in the spring-time, there
still exists the oak-tree under which the Princess Eliza-
beth sat when the messengers from London came to re-
move her from a species of prison to a Throne.
At Malta. illuminations in the public streets of Va-
letta, the naval and military offices of Government, and
the ships of war in the harbour, celebrated the birth of
the Prince of Wales : the people are stated to have
sho'wn but faint demonstrations of joy.
This day is- the shortest clay. The winter of
1564-5 was remarkable for a very severe frost, which
began on the 21st of December, and, according to Hol-
lingshed, " some plaied at football on the river as boldly
as if it had been on the drie land ; diverse of the Court
being then at Westminster, shot daily at targets set
upon the Thames; and the people, both men and women,
went on the Thames in greater numbers than in anie
street of the Citie of London."
A man named James Fryer, one of the workmen em-
ployed at the new glasshouse, Mexborough, near Don-
caster, has manufactured a glass coffin, which he has
bequeathed to his cousin, who holds a situation in Guy's
Hospital, London, for his own body to be inclosed in
when he dies, so that his cousin will see if he rots any
faster than if he was coffined in lead. The coffin is made
of clear glass, quarter of an inch thick, six feet two
inches long, 21 inches across the bosom, and 15 inches
deep. He has ornamented it with blue glass death's head
and cross bones on the side, and his name is inscribed
on the lid.
Turrvzoun or THE DAT.
A report has been current during the week that Sir
Walter James is about to be called to the Upper House.

COMMERCIAL AN I) AGRICULTU-
RAL MEETING.
A general meeting of the , Eastern Coast of Central
America Con mercial and Agricultural Company took
place yesterday at one o'clock, at the Jamaica Coffee-
house, St. Nicholas-alley, Cornhill, but we are unable to
give any account of the proceedings, as one of our re-
porters was refused admission to the meeting by the
Secretary, on the ground (as the Secretary stated) of the
meeting being called on the private affairs of the Com-
mittee of Directors.

„
THE LITERARY PRIESTHOOD.;_ Of all priest-
hoods, aristocracies, governing classes, at present extant
in the world, there is no class comparable for importance
to that priesthood of the writers of books. This is a fact
which he who runs may read, and draw inferences from.
” Literature will take care of itself," answered Mr. Pitt,
when applied to for some help for Burns. " Yes," an-
swers Mr. Southey, " it will take care of itself ; and (f
you too, if you do not look to it."— Thomas .Carlyle.

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.
CITY, MONDAY EVENiIsiG.

There was not much business transacted to-day in the
Stock Market, and the quotations exhibited less buoy-
ancy. For present transfer Consols were not dealt in
to-day, but for Account they closed at 89 to 891 ex. di-
vidend. Exchequer Bills ranged from 10s. to 12s. prem. ;
and .East India Bonds Is. prem. The Reduced Three
per
Cents. brought 891 toe ; and the Three-and-a-Half
per Cents. 94 to 99k.
In the Foreign Market there were bargains in most
of the Stocks, but without much fluctuation in prices.
The Active Spanish Securities were a shade lower, be-
ing at 231 to 238 ; Portuguese New Five per Cents.
realised 321 ; Russian Bonds improved to 114 ; Mexican
were steady at 261 ; Colombian at 201 ; and Peruvian
at 148 ; Brazilian Stock of 1839 was marked 56 ; and
Chilian Bonds were 721 ; Belgian touched 101 ; Danish,
801 and Dutch Two-an-a-Half per Cents., 51i.
A moderate business was done in the Share Market,
though easier rates were accepted when sales became
at all pressed. London and Birmingham Railway Shares
were 75 ; the New 25 ; Great Western, 19 to 191 ; the
New, 9i ; the Gosport Junction, 6i ; and the South
Western, 19i to 188 prem. ; Brighton Shares were 114
to 124 ; Manchester and Birmingham, 11 ; Midland
Counties, 15fr ; and South Eastern, 221 discount ; Aus-
tralasia Bank Shares were 13} prem.
(From The Sun of Last Night.)
LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, DEC. 18.—We have
had a very quiet Cotton Market to-day, the sales
amounting to 3,000 bales, of which 410 have been taken
for exportation. Nothing doing by speculators.
LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET, DEC. 18.—The trans-
actions at the Stock Exchange this day comprise—East-
ern Counties, 8i; Ditto, Debentures, 10i; Great West-
ern Fifths, ; London and Brighton, 39; North Mid-
land Thirds; 17 ; York and North Midland New, 31.
All the vessels that have been 'wind-bound at Liver-
pool got under weigh on Saturday and yesterday.
MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, DEC. 18.—Rail.
way Stock is in good demand, and prices generally are
well maintained. Edinburgh and Glasgow, 431; Lon-
don and South Western, 571. ; Manchester and Leeds,
64 to 66; North Midland, 72i- to 73i; Midland Counties,
841 to 85.
There are but few arrivals do. day.
Cape of Good Hope papers to the 14th October have
been received.

The paper of the 13th states that at a meeting of the
Legislative Council, his Excellency the Governor made
several statements respecting the revenue, which induce
us to hope that the finances of this colony will shortly
be submitted to revision.

The prospects of the wine farmers continued very
gloomy.
The Hamburgh mail due on Friday, and the one due
this morning have arrived. Exchange comes f lower,
the quotation being 13 5. Gold, 248, same as before,
Both the English and Foreign Securities opened with-
out any variation from the closing prices of Saturday.
Consols are 89* for the Account ; Three per. Cents. Re-
duced, 894 s ; Exchequer Bills, 10 12 prem.
Spanish Active Stock, 23f i; Passive, 58 *; Deferred,
111 12 ; Portuguese Five per Cents., 324 33; Ditto Three
per Cents., 19* 20; Brazilian Bonds, 63 65 ; and Mexi-
can, 26*.
There has been but little business doing in the Stock
Exchange up to the present time, and the quotations in
the English Market are the same as at the opening.
In the Foreign Market the only alteration to notice is
a slight decline in Spanish. Active Stock is now 23* *;
Passive, ss; Portuguese Five per Cents., 324 ; Belgian
Bonds, 101; Chili= Six per Cent. Bonds, 724.
The Share Market is ratheiflat. Great Western, 841;
Ditto Fifths, 94 8 ; London and Brighton 37f 8 ; Lon-
don and Birmingham, New, 27 ; London and South
Western, 58; North Midland, New, 36.
CLOSING PRICES.
BRITISH FUNDS.
India Stock

Bank Stock .••

3 per Cent Red 69h Ditto Bonds
3 per Cent Cons — Ditto Ohl Annuities ...
3h per Cent Red 99 Ditte New Annuities...
New 3h per Cent — Ex. Bills, 1,000/....20 10 pm
New 5 per Cent
Long Annuities to expire Ditto Small. 13 pm
Jan 1860 l2h Bank Stock for Acct...
Oct 1859 — India Stock for Acct....
Jan. 1860. Consols for Acct 89
FOR EIGNFUNDS.

Austrian, 5 per cent Portuguese, 5 per cent.
Belgian, 5 per cent lOl Ditto, New Ditto 32i
Brazilian Bonds... — Prussian, 5 per cent.
Buenos Ayres, 6 per cez Russian, 5 per cent ll4
Chilian, 6 per cent.... 72i Ditto, Metallic
Colombian, 6 per cent.. 2O Spanish, 5 per cent 2.3i
Ditto, 1824. — Ditto, Deferred ..
.

Danish, 3 per cent 1 -
801 ,French, 5 per cent. —f. —c.
Greek, 1825, 5 per cent. Exchange
Mexican, 5 per cent.... . French, 3 per cent —f. —c
Ditto, 6 per cent, 1525 Dutch, 23 per cent sli
Peruvian,lB2s, 6 per et. 143 Ditto, 5 per cent.
SHARES.
Eastern Counties Railway (23 paid) .... Bl
Great Western Railway( 65 paid) B4
Ditto New Shares (50 paid)
Ditto Fifth (4 paid)
Gosport Junction Railway (50 pd)
London and Brighton (50 paid) 371
London and Birmingham (90) ......... ... .. 165
Ditto New Shares ( 2 paid 27
London and Greenwich Railway (20 pd)
Ditto Scrip. (611 paid)
London and South Western
Manchester and Birmingham (40 paid) ... .. 28i
Midland Counties Railway (100 paid)
Northern and Eastern (35 paid)
North Midland Railway (100)
Ditto New Shares (40 paid) .........
Ditto Thirds (15 paid)
South Eastern and Dover (43 paid) 2oi
Ditto New Shares ( 5 paid)

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S—YESTERDAY.
The announcement of the sale of Ballinkeele to Mr.
Dixon did not in the least improve his position in the
betting, 23 and 25 to 1 having been laid against him,
and the lower of the two offers currently throughout the
afternoon. 25 to 1 was taken to about 100/. about Ro-
bert de Gorham, and some small bets about William tle
Fortibus, and three outside Oaks fillies, but the general
betting was so flat as scarcely to merit the small space
we have devoted to it. The following were the last prices
of the few horses noticed :
THE DEBBY.
23 to 1 agst Mr. Dixon's Ballinkeele—tkn. and off.
25 to 1 agst Lord Verulam's Robert de Gorham
40 to 1 agst Mr. G. Clarke's William de Fortibus—t.
1000 to 15 agst Mr. Osborne's Master Thomas—tkn.
1000 to 10 agst Mr. Dixon's Policy (late Honest John)
5000 to 25 agst Gobbo, by Defence, half-bred—taken
200 even between Lord ofllolderness a nd Ballinkeele—t.
500 even Felix against Rover—taken.
TUE OAKS.
6 to 1 agst Mr. Etwall's Passion
12 to 1 agst Mr. C. Wilson's Sis. to Yorkshire Lad
25 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's Topsail—taken
30 to 1 agst Duke of Rutland's Baleine filly—taken
40 to 1 agst Colonel Westenra's Rapture—taken