The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-15 00:00:00

The Bank Returns.

The Bankers' Magazine furnishes the returns of the air
culation of the public and joint-stock banks in England
and Wales for the four weeks ending the 4th of Dec.
These returns, combined with the circulation of the Scotch
and Irish banks for the same period, and the al, erage cir-
culation of the Bank of England for the four weeks ended
the Ist of Dec. (the nearest date furnished by their
returns), will give the following results of the circulation
of notes in the United jingdom when compared with the
previous month :

so,. 6, Dee] 4,
1809. 1869. Increase. Decrease.
_ ._,...---- —______ . ______
Bank of England 23,940,947 23,181,190 . 759,757
Private Banks . 1 2,885.44" 2,751,7
- -9 133,721
Joint-stock Banks 2,425,072 2,3,8,739 56,333
Total in England 29,251,459: 28,301,648 918,411
Scotland 4,871,3 8! 1,287,458 416,140
Ireland 7,381,189: 7,354,163 27,017
United Kingdom 141,503,957 40,913,269 r. 416,110 ' 976,828

United Kingdom.

And as compared with the month ending the sth of
Dec., 1868, the above returns show a decrease of
£363,505 in the circulation of notes in England, and an
increase of £105,916 in the circulation of the United
Kingdom.
On comparing the above with the fixed issues of the
several banks the following is the state of the circulation:—
The English private banks are below their
fixed issue ••• ••• £1,290,907
The English joint-stock banks aro below their
fixed issue

369,901

Total beloW fixed issue in England ... .V. 660,808
The Scotch banks are above their fixed issue... 2 538,187
The Irish banks are above their fixed issue ... 992,60
The average stock of bullion held by the Bank of Eng-
land in both departments during the mouth ending Ist
of Nov was £18,443;206, being a decrease of £388,284,
as compared with the previous month, and a decrease of
£71,692 when compared with the same period last year.
The following are the amounts of specie held by the
Scotch and Irish banks during the mouth ending the 6th
of Nov.:—

Gold and silver held by the Scotch banks ... .£3,776179
Gold and silver hold by the Irish banks 2,741,884

£5,921,651
being an increase of £518,118 as compared with tho pre-
vious return, and an increase of £321,393 when compared
with the corresponding period last year

The R erneV is now being prosecuted on account of two
articles which have appeared in it on the subject of
offences committed against the Emperor, and on the pro-
vocation to assassination. The Eclaireur of St. Etienne
has been seized upon the charge of exciting hatred
against the Government. The editor and the chief
manager have been brought before the Juge d'lnstruction.
It has been rumoured that Count Daru is on the point
of resigning his office. The Journal des Debats and the Consti-
tutionizel give the report the most emphatic denial,and declare
positively that the Ministers are in perfect accord. The
Libertt, in announcing that there will be no needless
delay in the Auteuil affair, adds that M. Daru has said, I
shall retire if there is the least tergiversation."
Ledru Rollin is expected in Paris this evening. Great
numbers of persons have resolved to welcome him on
his arrival, which is at this moment somewhat
inopportune. He wiil plead, it is said, in the Auteuil
affair. He still obstinately refuses to take the oath, so
M. Roche fort will be spared the mortification of a rival
near his parliamentary throne at present. Speaking of
parliamentary matters, let me call to your notice
an unfortunate word employed in a different
sense within a quarter of sn hour by tho Prime
Minister and the Procureur-General. M. 011ivier
in speaking of the clamour raised by the extreme journals,
declared in tho Corps I.6gislatif that the Cabinet beheld
them avec impassibilitO. The Procureur-Gox4ral within
the time I have mentioned declared that justice ne saurait
assister impassible at the infraction of the laws and the
incitement to crime!
The debate on the treaty with England is exciting much
interest. The Government have resolved upon the parlia-
mAtary inquiry.

A War Department order has been received at
Chatham, directing that, on the removal of the stores of
powder from the Government magazines at Upnor Castle,
the magazines are to be appropriated for the storage of shell
and a small quantity of powder, to meet the actual require-
ments of the vessels of war fitting out at Chatham and Sheer-
ness; and also for the storage of a supply of Snider ammu-
nition and ball cartridge for the use of the troops of the dis-
trict. It is expected that all the powder to be removed will
have been conveyed from Upnor Castle to Purfleet by the
close of the present week.

A curious charge of fraudulent bankruptcy came
before the Manchester City Police Court yesterday. The
prisoner, William John Hazelton, had been twice bankrupt,
the second time only three months ago, and since then it
was stated he had incurred debts to the amount of £1,200,
while his estate realised only about .£lOO. The accusations
were—first, removing goods from his place of business within
60 days of his bankruptcy ; second, pledging a quantity of
goods obtained from his creditors, whieh were then unpaid
for ; and, third, having, three days before his bankruptcy,
burned all the papers relating to his trade. lie was commit •
ted to the assizes for trial, but admitted to bail.

The Diocesan Synod of Down, Connor, and Dro-
more concluded its deliberations yesterday, having sat
throe days. The report brought in by the standing com-
mittee with reference to funds granted to ministers by the
Church Act strongly commended the making of commuta-
tions as proposed by the Act. Great opposition was raised
to its adoption, but it was finally resolved that it be received,
its adoption to come before a future meeting. Some speakers
opposed the adoption of the report, stating that probably
during the approaching session an additional Act would be
passed, doing fuller justice to the Irish Church in some
minor points, especially with reference to glebes.
The block system is now in full operation on tne
Midland Railway between Nottingham and Derby.

The light Hon. Edward S ullivan, the new
Master of the Rolls in Ireland, was yesterday sworn in at
Dublin.

It seems that while the " foot-and-mouth" disease
has greatly decreas-d in Cheshire, pleuro-pneumonia has
slightly increased during the past we k.

It is stated that t 1 e report of the Bridgwater
Election Commissioners bon tot, ivi,d by the Home Sec-
retary, and submitted to the Law Officers of the Crown.
The Queen has conferred on Sir Henry Elliott,
Ambassador at Constantinople, the honour of knight-
hood, as liniglit of the Grand Gross of the Order of the
Bath.

Another strike is threatened. in Sh, Meld by the

grinders in the stove grate trade, in coLscqu uce of a de-
mand for an increase of wages not being conceded by the

masts rs.

We an glad to learn from the Law 7 ivies that Mr.
Justice Lush, who has been suffering severely from over
fatigue during the labours of the Winter Circuit, is int-
Droving in health.