The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-11 00:00:00

COLONIAL.

TEA. -At the public sale of this article full prices were
realised. Common Congou, 91,1 to 9jd ; young Hysou, 7d
to 7id per lb.
SIICAR.-There has been little disposition shown by
purchasers to make investments, although lower terms
were offered by holders. Barbadoes low greyish to good
white yellow, 45s 6,1 to 49s ; crystalised Demerara low
middling to fine bright, 45s 6 f to 51s ; Martinique good to
fine yellow, 47s to 50s ; Mauritius low blacks, 32s Gd to
335; good grocery, 4?s to 47e6daJtayotte middling to
fine soft brown, 404 to 41s per cwt. No transactions have
taken place in either Bengal or Bahia. In the refined
market no business whatever is reported as having taken
place.
COFFEE.-Plantation Ceylon has realised steady prices.
Fine to tine fine ord, 53s to 61.; low mid to mid, 62s 6d to
645. 6,1; pea berry, 63s to 65s ; and triage, 4Ss to 57s 6d
per cwt. Native Ceylon has been quiet ; ordinary, 50s to
525; good ordinary, 535; and blacks, at 23s to 26s per
awt. Bahia, 42s to 45s for ordinary to good ordinary.
COCOA.-The market for this article continues dull, and
but few sales have taken place; Bahia has been sold at 4Ss
to 50s per cwt.
RICE. -A small business has been done at lower prices ;
ordinary pinky sold at 13s 6d ' • Bengal 16s to 10s 6d, and
low broken Bengal at 13s to 14s Kd per cwt.
Rusi.-A small parcel of Mauritius has been sold at
2s sd, and strong Detnerare. realised 3s per proof gallon.
SAGO.-There has been a steady demand for this article,
although prices have slightly, receded ; middling to good
sold for 29s per cwt.
SPICES.-A brisker demand has beau exhibited for Pi-
mento, and prices have advanced about is 8,1 per lb ; fine
small bright brought 4id, and mid and good mid rather
coarse. 4td to Cid ; ordinary coarse mixed, 41d to 41d per
lb. Pepper-Singapore wbito brought 7id to Bd. Nut-
megs- Ordinary small to good bold brown is lld to 3s 2d,
ordinary shrivelled kind, is 4d to is 5,1 per lb. Cloves-
Zanzibar ordinary to fair dark ; 5,i,1 to sid per lh. Mace
--good mid 2s 41 to 2s sd, and mid 2s to 2s 2d per lb.
SALTPETRE has been dull • Bengal, 91 to 9 lb fine
crystal sold at 335, ditto 7,i 11; refraction brought: 32s Gd
per cwt.
COCHINEAL-The market has been steady. r. Ceneriffe
silvers, 3s 6d to 3s 101; blacks, 3s 10d to 4s ld 1 sn• lb.
TALLOW. -The market his shown greater tirmneis.
P.Y.C. on the spot 68s to 68s 3d, and spring d.elivery
67s 3d per cwt.

THE MERCHANT MARINE Acr.—A dispute ill pending
at Liverpool of some importance to the ship ping inte-
rest. The lawful exercise of the powers of R.:ceivers of
the Droits of the Admiralty has on many omit idons been
doubted, and a question has arisen with that fiznctionary
at Liverpool, under the following circuussts tnces, the
point to be solved being the perpleking one of whet is a
wreck within the meaning of the 17th anti 18th of
Victoria in the Merchant Marine Act :—A vessel named
the Pied-ner was dropping her anchor, to sv:tit the tide
for docking, when the chain parted. Boa t risen from
shore were working at the time on board, awl the mas-
ter contracted with them to lift and restore the chain
and anchor for 16/. Upon their being raised and brought
alongside the Receiver of I)roite prohibited th eir deli-
very except upon an order signed by him, and a deposit
of 16/. with 1/. 10s. fees. The deposit and loos were
paid, and the chain and cable restored, but Ms order,
it is said, was ever signed by the neceiver. The. owner-
ship was never disputed, and the questions co.s tested
are—was this a wreck, and was the Receiver enti tied to
any fees ? Mr. M'Culloch says a wreck is usuali'y un-
derstood to mean any ship or goods driven ashore or
found floating at sea in an unmanageable condition ; but
that, according to the legal sense of the word in Eng-
land, it is assumed a " wreck" must have come to land,
since when at sea it is distinguished by the barbarous
appellations of flotsam, jetsam, and lv,gan. In the pre-
sent case it is insisted none of these terms are applicable,
as the cable parted in the river, and not at sea or in a
roadstead, and may be said never for a moment
to have been out of cognisance. The Board
of Trade have considered the matter of sufficient
oonsequence to send down an officer to inquire
specially into tho circumstances, and the decision is
locked for with interest both by merchants and under-
writers. Many complaints are made of the Marine Act
in consequence of the vexatious exactions for which it is
used as a pretext. Tho GGsarntnent, however, aro ad-
mitted to have shown every disposition to investigate
and remedy these evils. 7