The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-22 00:00:00

BANK RETURNS.

Tho Bankers' Magazine furnishes the returns of the cir-
culation of the Private and Joint-Stock Banks in England
and Wales for the four weeks ending Feb. 11. These
returns, combined with the circulation of the Scotch and
Irish Banks for the same period, and the average circula-
tion of the Blink of England for the four we ending the
Bth Fob. (the nearest date furnished by their returns)
will give the following results of the circulation of notes in
the United Kingdom, when compared with the previous
month

I
Jan. 11, ; Feb. 11,
I 1860. I 1860. Increase. Decrease.
.---- I ,----- --
Bank of England... 21,282,625 21,735,265 452,640
Private. Banks ..... 1 3,409,722 3,504,381 4,65)
Joint-stock Banks.. I 3,014,530 2,977,034 37,493
Total In England. 27,796,877 ;28,216,680 419,803
Scotland \ 4,289,541 4,124,606 161,935
Ireland 7,361,762 7,353,744 8,018
-- .. _ , Tr,.......A.---, i 39.448,1801 39,695,030 246,850

United Kingdom. 3%448,1801

•
And as compared with the month ending the 12th of Feb.
1859, the above returns
.show an increase of £1,046,372
in the circulation of notes in England, and an increase of
£1,721,757 in the circulation of the United Kingdom.
On comparing the above with the fixed issues of the seve-
ral banks the following is the state of the circulation :
rho English private banks are below their fixed
issue .................................... £900,554
The English joint-stock banks aro •below their
Axed issue, .............................. £325,323

Taal below fixed issue in England.... £1,225,877
The Scotch banks Are above their fixed issue £1,375,335
The Irish banks are Above their fixed issue .... £999,250
The average stock ofbullion held by the Bank of Ping-
4h.tring the month ending the Sth
land in both departments
of reb, L 10,3,10,853, being a decrease of £1,283,334 as
compared with the previous wonth, and a decrease of
£3,935,935 when compared with the same period last year.
The following are the ainatotts of specie held by the Scotch
and Irish banks during the month ending the 11th Feb.:—
Gold and silver held by the Scotch banks £2,637,228
Gold and silver held by the Irish banks 2,804,375

£5,441,603
Being an increase of £90,193 as compared with the
previous return, and an iiicroase of £490,684 when compared
Fith the corresponding period of last year.

••,, the architect,
SOANE AND iff7l MUSEI3I.—Soar.. -„ding. Poor
born 1753, was the son of a bricklayer, at 11.,
and neglected, he came to London; one of—

"The brave spirits who go up to woo
That terrible city Whom neglect is death,
Whose smile is fame."
He went into Dance's, office as an errand .boy, but ho worked
his way ;—built the Bank of England ;—many
structures
for the Government which Time's erasing fingers, helped
by Sir John Soane, have sponged out;—became Sir John
Soane ; and, when he died in 1837, he left behind him, to
say nothing of a fine fortune, a remarkable collection of
books, prints, pictures, and antiquities for the benefit of the
public. Whether this collection, boxed up in the house in
Lincoln's-inn-fields, and approachable by tickets during a
small part of the year, is made as available as it should be,
may be a qucation with some. It is certainly, however, no
question with me : and I trust a long time will not elapse
before a complete change in the managemout be melds.
Gelwin's Atenivria(s of 1179rhyri,".