The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-18 00:00:00

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

NEW Yoax, DEC. 30, 1847.—Nothing of an im-
portant or decisive character has yet been done in
Congress. The committees are engaged, however, in
making the necessary arrangements for an active
campaign. Next week, in all probability, the scene
will open. The wants of the Government will be
large, as we are assured from all quarters that the
Administrationis determined to prosecute the war
with renewed and increased vigour. To do this will
require a large expenditure of money, wbicn can only
be procured by means of loans.
The money-market is at present very stringent,
and the aspect exhibits the probability that it will
be more so. Yesterday and to-day there was some-
thing like a panic in Wall-street. It may, indeed,
have been produced by artificial means, brought to
operate upon timid minds ; but there it was, and
unless allayed before the close of the week, its effect
must be injurious.
Under the circumstances of the case, the best in-
formed men are at a loss to explain or understand the
financial movements of the Government. I will state
a fact. A short time since a house in this city wished
to remit to England a sum in gold. They
.addressed
a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury, informing,
him that they understood he had a large amount of
Mint
sovereigns, which he proposed to send to the
and convert into half-eagles. They, therefore, as an
dolls.
economy to both parties, offered 502000
half-
eagles for 50,000 dolls. in soverogns. o this
ar-
rangement the Secretary assented, and the contract
was closed.
Shortly after the same house offered, on the
terms, to exchange 500,000 dolls, in amount. The
Secretary declined the arrangement, and immediately
ordered 800,000 dells. in sovereigns to be sent to the
Hint, and coined into half-eagles. The motive for
this movement is beyond the ken of the uninitiated.

It is said, however, to have for its object the prohi~
bition of the exportation of gold.
A loan for 15,000,000 or 20,000,000 of dollars must
shortly be negotiated. Congress will not authorise
it to be sold at a fraction under par for a six per cent.
stock. 11.1oney-lenders think it cannot be obtained
on these terms; and this opinion is sustained by the•
present value of United States stocks—say Six per
Cents., lf to 1 under par; Treasury Notes 1 per
cent under par.
There are some few people, supposed to be far-
seeing and sagacious, who entertain, or pretend to
entertain, strong apprehensions in relation to our
banks. I have tree access to several of the most
discreet and intelligent managers of these institu-
tions, and I have not found an individual among
them who has expressed or experienced the least
anxiety on the subject. All consider anything like
alarm ridiculously idle, and confined to the weak-
minded.

You will notice in the journals which accompany
this letter the latest accounts that we have from
the seat of war. Rumours continue to reach the
United States of a pacific character, but they have
in reality, not the shadow of a foundation in truth.
The Mexicans are becoming daily more malignant-
towards the United States. The hanging of de-
serters, and those who have violated their parole,
produces no effect but the desire of revenge in the
living. Ido not wish to examine this subject in de-
tail, and therefore refer you to the newspapers of the
day; they contain all that we know in relation to the
war and the movements of the army.

There is no doubt the Administration are heartily
sick of the war, and would 'gladly creep out of it if-
they could ; but such an attempt would heap upon
them shame arid disgrace mountains high. The
immense loss which the country has sustained in.
killed and wounded, with the additional considera-
tion of an accumulated and accumulating debt, is be-
ginning to attract public attention. When General
Jackson retired from public life his pride and boast
was, that during his Administration the whole of the
national debt accumulated in two wars had been paid,
off. Only a few years have passed away, and one
of his successors (Mr. Polk) has illegally and
unconstitutionally commenced a war against
Mexico, which, in eighteen months, has
emptied an overflowing treasury, and created
a national debt of nearly one hundred mil-
lions of dollars, with a certainty, if the war continues,
as it doubtless will, of adding to it an incalculable
amount. And all this distress and misery is brought
upon the country without producing any effect upon -
the enemy, of the slightest prospect of conquering
a peace. Such is the difference between the states- -
men of 1837 and 1847. What will be the situation
of the country ten years hence no thinking man dares
to inquire.
If the Administration succeed in inducing Con-
gress
to grant all it requires to carry on this war
successfully, they will accomplish more than I believe
they can accomplish. Many of their adheretes, how-
ever, appear to entertain the most sanguine hopes
that the President will succeed in all he wishes, and
that the effect will he, first, the complete pfostration
of Mexico, and then the annexation of that country
to the United States.

The presidential question is exciting the whole
community. The question who shall be our next
President occupies almost exclusively the attention
of nearly every politician in the nation. It is too
early to hazard a decided opinion. It is certain,
however, that all parties appear to fear the influence
of Mr. Clay, which may produce a combination
against him.

—Times.

A GENE VESE TRAVELLER.

FOREIGN FUNDS.

lIAMBURGH BORSENLIA.LLE, DEC. 21.
Bills. Money.
kustrian 5 per Cents ................ 104
Bank Shares •• .• • • ............ 1600
Anglo-Russian Loan • • .
Russian 5 per Cent., lamb. Certificate. 101% 101
Ditto Ist series Inscription ••• • • • •• • 101%
Ditto, /lope and Co., 3d and 4th series • 95
Ditto, in Cortiticate• ••••••••• • • • • • • • • (.15
New 4 per Cent., Rope and Co. ••• • .• %
Ditto Stieglitz •••••• • • • • • • ••••• • • •• 86% 86
Spanish New 5 per Cent • • • • • • 13 12'5.
Ditto 3 per Cent ••••••••• • • • • • • • • 24 23%
Anglo-Portuguese Loan, 2% per Cent • • 22
Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent— • • 55
Ditto 3 per Cent.
Polish New 4 per Cent. Loan, 1844.... 79
Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent •••• • • 82 81%
National Bank Shares •••••• ••• • • •
DUTCII FUNDS.—Axmanast, JAN. 11. -
Money. Bills
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent •• • • .• •• • 54% 55%
Ditto, 3 per Cent ••••••••• • • • • • • • • • 66% 67
Ditto, 4 per Cent.. ••••••••• • • • • • • • • 84 ji 85
Amort Syndic, 3% per Cent..........
Commercial Company, 434 per Cent • • 162% 163%
East India Loan, 4 per Cent • ....•
Exchange on London, at sight •• ••• • • • 12 12
Two months... ••••.•• • • • • • 12
On Hamburg!), at sight .• • • 35
Two months.. ••••••• • • • • • • 31 GE
On Paris • •• •• • . •• .. 5e 50
Twomonths. •• .• .•••• • • • • • 86
AUSTICIAN FUNDS.—VIENNA, JAN. 8.
5 per Cent. Metalliques• • • • ........ ...... 103%
4 per Cent. ditto• ••••••••••••• .• • • • • • • •• 90
3 per Cent. ditto.. • . • • •• •• •• 6534
Loan, 1834 ...... •..................... mR,
Ditto, 1839 .• •••••••••• •• 1115,
Bank Shares •• •• •• •• •• •.••• •• —1616
Esterhazv's Loan ........ 57

PRUSSIAN FUNDS.-11xaL1N, JAN. 13.
honey,
St.Sehuld Sch., 3 ki perCeut • •• •• 92!Y I'2
Prue*. English Bonds, 1830, 4 per Cent."...
Foreign Exchanges •••••••• •• •• •• ••• • • •
Exchange on London, £1 Sterling, 3 Months

BELGIAIc FUN DB.—Baussm.s, JAN. 14.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent ..........
Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent ........
Loan of Thirty Millions, FourparCent....
Ditto Three per Cent.. ..........
Ditto Thirty-seven Millions,ditto
Ditt0,ditt0,1840...............• •• . 9814
Ditto,ditto,lB42.• •• ••.•••••• • • • • • • • • • 9-”4
Ditto, 1836... • • .....• .......... •.....
Ditto, 1838 ..................... 67%
Ditto of the City, 1832 ............ .
Ditto, 1843 . ..... 95%
Bank of Belgium ••• • • • 79%
—Brimels Papers, Jan. 15.

6 27%

RAILWAYS.

The Northern, or Ferdinand .. • • • •• • , . 139 4
Gloggnitz • . • • • • • • - • • • • • • • • • • - • 110
Vienna—Milan
Leghorn • • •• • • • • •• • • •
Sienna . • •
rosetto ....
Oldenburg .... ,
Peatoj a .......
Pesti' Bridge
Apennine!' .

•••• • • • • 71

ATTORNEYS.-177 gentlemen hav e given notice
this term of their intention to apply to be admitted to
practise as attorneys in the Court of Queen's Bench.
There are also 42 notices f,r the renewals of certia-
cates.

Letters from Hamburgh, received yesterday, state
money to be abundant. at 3i per cent. Bills on London
were very scarce, and the rate for three months paper
was 13. 10.

NEW ASYLUM FOR INFANT ORPHANS.—Yesterday
a general meeting of the subscribers to the above charity
w:'s holden at the Hall of Commerce. Threadneedle-
street, the Lord Mayor presiding, when 12 children were
elected from a list (if 47 candidates. The report for the
past year stated that the affairg charityoftlie
w'ehreavititnag
prosperous condition, upwards of 400 subscribers
joined it during the past year. There are now on the
foundation (irrespective of yesterday's election) 68
children under eight years of age, who are clothed,
nursed, and educated. The balm ce she. t. for the past
year showed the re c ipts to be 2.723/. 16s. 101. ; the
expenditure, leaving a-balance of 4!')91. 14s. 24d. The
business of the day being gone through, thanks were
voted to the Lord Mayor for his presidency, and the
meeting broke up.
STARTLING DISCOVERY IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.
—l(te.stt rday moreing, nt 8 Welutle, Mr. IV ilium) Pay
the City Coroner, resumed e.n inquiry, for the third time,
in the Vestry hall, llorAydown, concerning the death
of a newly-born female child, foetid under the most ex
traordinary circumstances. The evidence went to prove,
that on the afternoon of Friday, the 24th of December,
upon the arrival of the Dover train at London- bridge,
one of the servants commenced his usual duties of letting
out the passengers; and while searching one of the
second-class carriages, he discovered a brown paper
parcel lying on the floor under the seat. He rett.ived
the same, and not fiutnng any direction on the outside,
it was thought necessary to examine the contents of the
paper, which it was found contained the body of a
newly born female child. There were several marks of
violence on the head, and the umbilical cord had been
partially securA. The nose and mouth were much
compressed. giving ample testimony of some external
violence. The iequest had been twice adjourned, to
allow the railway authorities to make the nec(ssary in-
quiries along the line, and also at Dover, from whence
the said carriage came. Mr. Meed, tie summoning'ffieer, stated that he and the police had 11..
they
eve r)•
means to find out the guilty parties, but that.):wecrlee
unfortunately quite Unable to threw any light ,11
mystery of the case. The. ~.juFurvo,anfdtedreaadbr. et cursulta-
time returned a verdict of
tion, but from what means such_ was caused, there W 35
not sufficient evidence to prove.
. ,
SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE. A rather staguier
phenomenon happened in the neighbourhood of Lerwick
a few days ago, and in trying to account fur it the neople
have been a good deal puzzled. It seems to be a kind of
land-slip. The surface of a gentle declivity, to the
extent or about three. hundred feet long, and eighty feet
wide, has been pr,tlpilated into the flat below, and all
around the ground Las been cracked and rent. The
eurface consisted of e. pretty solid mass, was about five
feet deep, and rested on a hard impervious bed. It
would seem that the rain from the surface, sinking down
to the hard soil, ail not being able to get further, had
there softened the moss, making it slippery and soft ;
but there being no roots nor rocks to support or retain
the superineumbent mass, it then slid away, tossing up
On their sides, on both hands, large masses of the sur-
face, but in its main body flowing like a stream five
hundred feet bqond into the bottom. Edinburgh
Witness.

WELLS, JAN. 14.—The Abdiel, Holland, which went
on shore on Holuie Brach, Bth ult., has been gut off, and
arrived here 12th inst.

HARWICH, JAN. 15.—The schooner, Conrad, Kohler,
of Bremen, from Hartlepool to St. Thomas. got on shore
on the Long Sand, bilged, and soon became a total
wrtck; crew and part of materials saved.

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