The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-01 00:00:00

MONEY MARKET

AND

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, Two o'CLocK.

The Liverpool Cotton Market yesterday was quiet,
the sales reaching 7,000 bales, 1,000 bags for ex-
pOrt and speculation. The annual statement of
the cotton trade was published, from which it ap-
pears that the stocks of all kinds are 428,870 bales
against 551,340 last year. The Railway Share
Market was very dull.
The year just terminated has produced some
important and extraordinary changes in the finan-
cial as well as the political condition of the
country. At its commencement confidence in the
future was generally expressed, and nothing
transpired to indicate the unfavourable events
which have occurred during the past six months.
Money, which had been plentiful in January,
February, and until August, then became scarcer,
and the Bank of England Directors began the re-
strictive policy that subsequently gave rise to some
alarm and considerable discussion. In September
the effects of the war became more apparent than
at any period previously since the commencement
of hostilities ; the demand for discount accommo-
dation sensibly increased, trade continued dull,
and all the usual symptoms of a panic were mani7
fested. Indeed the singular depletion of the Bank of
England stock of bullion, and the rapidity with which
the rate of discount was put up, created general mis-
trust, and the belief was entertained in many quarters
that a crisis, equal in severity to that of 1847-8,
would have to be passed through. But, notwith-
standing the specie movement continued alarming,
and that the Bank rate was advanced in October
to 6 and '7 percent., a more settled feeling now
prevails, and, however uncertain the future is ad-
mitted to be, the course of events is awaited with
confidence. Although several failures, and of an
important character, have been announced during
the year, they can scarcely be said to represent the
actual position of commerce, which, although
much circumscribed, has throughout pre-
served a healthy appearance. The primary
cause of suspension in some cases was the
incautious trading to Australia, while in others
the capital has not warranted the amount of
business transacted. Unfortunately, however, in
two instances the operations haveibeen of a fraudu-
lent character, and the punishment awarded to the
delinquents will no doubt be a sufficient caution to
those engaged in mercantile pursuits, and prevent
the recurrence of such acts of dishonesty. The pay-
ment of the instalments periodically duo on the
English, French, and Turkish Loans has
from time to time exercised an unfavour-
able influence upon the Money Market, but
as they are now nearly all subscribed capi-
talists and others aro now considering the proba-
bility of new financial operations at an early period.
Although all classes of business men h4ve recently
been subjected to great vicissitudes, as far as can
at present be judged the financial events of 1856
will equal, if not exceed, in importance any that
have transpired during the last half century.
From the accounts of the past year presented by
the Bank of England the following interesting par-
ticulars have been extracted :—ln January the
bullion stood at about 12,162,4951., and then gra-
dually increased from that point to 18,169,000/. ;
after which, during the effiux of bullion to the Con-
tinent, a progressive diminution occurred, which to
the present period has not been entirely arrested.
On the 24th November the total bullion in both de-
partments represented the sum of 11,139,0001., but
notwithstanding the restrictive measures adopted
the account on the 22d Dec., the date of the latest
return, had been further reduced to 10,981,0001.

The advices received to-day from New York re-
present the Stock Market as being buoyant at the
latest date. Breadstuffs were in limited demand,
but cotton was more active.
The English Stock Market has become exceed-
ingly weak, and the decline since the official close
Yesterday has been about g per cent. Less confi-
dence is entertained in the successful issue of the
peace negotiations, and those who recently bought
are now operating in the contrary direction. Con-
sole have bee* 881 ± and 88 to 881. The Now 3
Per Cents, are 88i 1, and the Reduced 88 to 88k.
Exchequer Bills are 2s. lower again, and it is stated
that sales to the extent of 50,0001. have been
effected.
Foreign Securities are generally at lower rates,
but very few transactions have been entered into.
Turkish 6 per Cents. are per cent. lower, viz.,
821 to 83. Spanish 3 per Cents. are quoted at
381 ex dividend, and the Certificates are 41.
Equador Bonds are dull at 4i, and Dutch 21 per
Cents. are 63 to 631 ex dividend. No dealing has
taken place in the New Scrip, but the nominal
quotation is depressed in consequence of the pay-
ment of the instalment to-day.
The following are the nominal prices of Foreign
Stocks:—Grenada Deferred Bonds, 61 7; Mexican,
191 20 ; Peruvian, 74 6 ; ditto 3 per Cents., 52 4;
Poriliguese 4 per Cents., 48 60 ; Russian 5 per
Cents'., 95 7 ; ditto 41 per Cents., 88 90 ; Spanish
8 per ellents., 40 ; ditto Deferred, 20! ; ditto
Certificates, 4i ; date Passive, in.
The ..gailway are Market presents no feature
of interest, but in most cases lower quotations are
current. The Eastern Counties, however, support
yesterday' 's improvement. Foreign and Colonial
lines are : ‘lmoat neglected, but Great Western of
Canada rub ► steady.
Mining, flanking, and Miscellaieous Shares are
without any particular alteration.

BRITISH FUlia)S THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES
(Pvcrns the 056,11 Lizr.

BUsine, done.
3 per Cont. Iteth.ced Annuitias
Now 3 per Cent. Annuities
India. Bonds, £lOOO . •
Ditto, under 21000 7 d
V•onsols i'or Account BBl 8 7/
Exchequer Bills, 2id.
21000 , . •••
•• ,

£5OO 8
small _ lO 6
PRICES OF FORE IGN FUNDS THIS DAY.
I,:quador Bonds.
Rexican 3 per Cent.
Itussian Bonds, 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St
Ditto 4. per Ceut
Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cont.
Spardsh Bonds, 3 per Cent
Spani.h Committee Cert. of Cot'p. Dst fun 4i g p c
Tnrkip.,h Bonds, 6 par cent
Ditto for the Account -• 83 21 3,1 3
Dividends on the above na• 'able in London,
Belgian, 21 per Cent., ex. 25 fra rte 5........
Ditto 4:1 per Cent.. ex. 25 francs 921 31
Dutch Exchange, 21 per Coat., I:2 Gail... 634 3 x
THREE O'CLOCK.

Con %oils
Ditt.l for Account Jan. 10... B7i 8S x d
CHILL) STEALING.—SINGULAR CAS?,

In the 1/ tooth of October last two decently-dressed
weinea acn ,stel a young girl, who had charge of
a child, in • the Grassnaarket, and, giving her fourpence,
asked her t ) purchase pears for them, promising to keep
the child til .l she carne back. On her return, both women
and child e 'ere gone, and nothing was heard of them till
Monday lre ,t, when the child was found in a close of the
Cationgate ~ Her name is Agnes Blackie, and she is
three year a of age, too young to give any account of the
Parties wh o carried her off, cr as to where she had beri.
The police, however, have succeeded in apprehending
two worne, 1 who were implicated in the transaction, and
they tell th s following story :—Some 18 months ago a
girl named _ 4nn .I`,Plienzie, residing in Richmond-street,
Parted with a young man with whom she had beet, for
:01,5 time ti use acquainted, telling him that, on his re-
"rti from At tctralia, whither he was
.r going, she would
present
tun
present him , with a child, of which he was the father.
ed out that she was not in the interesting situa-
tion h e was 1 et 1 to believe she was ; but it would appear
that e 60 had is formed him cf the birth of a child, and on
hisrre t'u''n to ' ..his country early in October, instead of
~ Lsi,ing 'Si "-1 ,__„. , I,n ,
at no such event had happened, she deter-
mined to
takt : a child from the streets, and pass it off as
her own.
•A, ccordingly, her sister, Johanna Nl‘Kenzie,
and a won +'arl named Ann Ross, undertook to get a child,
apparently • ab out the age of 18 months, and they suc-
ceeded in t he : manner we have above described. Agnes
Blackie, al tht .ugh double the necessary age, was very
delicate, a nd looked tench younger than she was in
reality ;an d4l 07 passed her off to the young man as
Ilia child. T 11% neighbours, however, knew how the
matter reall,, ' stood ; and a quarrel havii,g taken place
between thr ra and the I.l.‘Kenzies, they threatened to
give inform. ,tic n to. the police, whereupon the itremoves reovo( 3to
L
still retainn kg ti ultb, where they lived for some time,
.e child. A week or two ago the young
man enlistt id, at d went to a port in England to embark
for the Ea 3'6. / le promised to marry M'Kenzie if she
would fog! ,t)w Ili •n ito the port in question and see him
off. This the did
and is probably married by this-time.
The chili'
I was no)i vY, and it was set adrift,
aaswe 1 ,awe state .unnecess,-,r
The crime of child stealing, or
plagieir,
~ is aca it al offence by the law of Scotland.—
~?eotsitta 71. P