The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-04 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

NEW YORK, APRIL 20.—Money is in more de-
mand, at unchanged rates. Sterling exchanges in
moderate request only. Stocks are quite active,
but prices are variable—some higher and others
lower. The following are the latest quotations:
—United States Fives of 1874, 1031 ; Erie Rail-
road shares, 16/ ; ditto Third bonds, 851 ; Panama
Railroad, 1351 ; Michigan Southern Guaranteed,
251 ; ditto Southern Railroad, 131 ; Reading Rail-
road, 44 ; New York Central Railroad, 801 ; Michi-
gan Central Eight per Cent. bonds, 941.
Cotton quiet and unchanged. Middling Uplands,
11*. Sales to-day 700 bales.
BREADSTUITS.—State and Western flour droop-
ing ; superfine State, 5 dols 25c to 5 dols 30c ;
extra, 5 dols 35c to 5 dols 45c; round hoop Ohio,
5 dols 90c to 6 dols 10c. Southern more active
and better; mixed to good, 6 dols 30c to 6 dols 40c ;
fancy and extra, 6 dols 50c to 7 dols 50c. Wheat
dull, and nominally in favour of buyers. White
Western, 1 dol 70c ; choice white Canada, 1 dol
60c. Corn firm. Mixed Western, 741 c to 75c;
White, 76c to 78c; yellow, 76c.
Freights quiet. Cotton to Liverpool, 3-16 d to
7-32 d. Flour, 2s.

"INDIGNATION MEETING" OF VOLUN-
TEER OFFICERS AT LIVERPOOL.

Yesterday (Thursday) afternoon a meeting of the
volunteer officers of Liverpool and the hundred of
Wirral (Cheshire) was held at the Cotton Sales-
room, for the purpose of considering the recent
resolutions relative to the presentation of volunteer
officers at court. From 50 to 80 officers were pre-
sent ; and on the motion of Mr. George :,Arkle,
Lieut.-Colonel Bourne, of the 4th Division Lanca-
shire Artillery, was called to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said that as a question was about
being raised by Mr. Bowyer in Parliament relative
to the rank of volunteer officers, it had been thought
advisable to hear the opinions of the volunteer
officers of Liverpool on the subject, for he thought
that gentlemen who devoted so much of their time
and money voluntarily to the service of the public
were at least entitled to be placed on the same
footing as other military officers, whether in the
line or militia.

Lieutenant-Colonel w. BROWN (deputy-lieu-
tenant of "the county, and late M.P. for the
Southern Division of Lancashire) then moved the
following resolution :—" That inasmuch as by the
26th section of the General Volunteer Act, under
which the officers of volunteer corps receive their
commissions, it is enacted that all officers in corps
of volunteers having commissions from his Majesty,
or lieutenants of counties, shall rank with the offi-
cers of his Majesty and militia officers, as the
youngest of their respective ranks, we officers of
volunteer corps in public meeting assembled, having
been informed that attempts to interfere with the
full meaning of the law have been recently made,
and feeling that such proceedings are calculated
seriously to dimish the influence which our com-
missions are intended to confer, earnestly protest
against any infringement of our just privileges."
He said he thought that considering the slight that
was attempted to be put on the volunteer officers,
in refusing their admission to the court levees, &c.,
on the same footing as other military officers, they
were bound to protest against such an insult. At
considerable expense they devoted themselves to
support the dignity of the Crown and the country,
and it was most unjustifiable that they should sub-
mit to the degradation attempted to be imposed
upon them.
The resolution was seconded and carried nem.
con.

Captain BOUSFIELD (Ist Lancashire) then moved
that a copy of the previous resolution be forwarded
to the lord-lieutenant of the county, with a request
that he would exert his influence to maintain the
rights of the volunteer body as defined by Act of
Parliament.

Captain V. A. RING (2d Cheshire) seconded the
resolution, which was also carried.

STRIKE OF THE JOURNEINIEN PAINTERS AT HUD-
DERSFIELD. On Monday the whole of the operative
painters employed in Huddersfield struck work at very
short notice, in consequence of the refusal of the masters
to comply with certain demands made by them a short time
since. The original demands made by them were—let. An
advance on their weekly wages of 2s. from the Ist of March
to the Ist of November, and that from the let of November
to the Ist of March they should be paid at the rate of 51d.
per hour. 2nd. That they should commence work at seven
o'clock on Monday mornings, and other mornings at six,
leaving work at-six o'clock at night, having half-an•hour
for breakfast and one hour for dinner, and to leave work
on Saturdays at one o'clock. 3d, That all overtime be paid
at the rate of eight hours per day, and all overtime after ten
at night, and after one o'clock on Saturdays, to be paid at
the rate of time and half. 4th. That lodgings, and omnibus
fare and railways be paid, or time for walking allowed, at
all jobs between four and ten miles once a-week, and once
a fortnight at all jobs between 10 and 20 miles away. The
masters cheerfully complied with their request for an ad-
vance of 2s. a-week, but at first rejected the other require-
ments, " as likely to interfere seriously with the exigencies
of the painters' business." Now, however, they have con-
ceeded all except the proposal to lessen the hours of labour
two hours per week, and this is now the only difference be-
tween them. Notwithstanding this, both parties express
their determination not to yield, and all painting and glaz-
ing operations are now suspended in consequence of the
course taken by the men.

FIRST MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LONDON.—Henry
Fitz-Alwin was the first elected to the dignity of Mayor of
London, by King Richard the First, in the first year of his
reign, in which office he continued until the 15th of the
reign of King John, 24 years, when ho died, and was buried
in the Priory of the Holy Trinity, Aidgate. He was one of
the king's bailiff's at the time he was nominated Mayor of
the City of London, and held those offices conjointly without
intermission upwards of 24 years successfully. Over the
master's chair, in Drapers' Hall, is a fine old three-quarter
length portrait of Fitz-Alwin, painted on panel. '['he Dra-
pers' Company claim him as a brother member of their
community, in contradiction to Stow, and other writers,
who describe him to belong to the Goldsmiths' Company.
Until the 9th of May, 1214, the office of chief magistrate
was held for life. King John, however, by letter patent
bearing this date, granted permission for the mayor to be
chosen annually, but required that ho should take his cor-
'aerial oath for the due execution of his trust in the royal
presence, otherwise in that of King's Justices. Henry the
Third, by two charters, confirmed this regulation, and sti •
pulated that the oath of the mayor should be taken before
the Barons of the Exchequer in all cases where the king
should not choose to be present ; and Edward the First, by
a further charter, granted the privilege of the oath beino-
taken before the Constable of the Tower, when neither the
king nor those barons were in London or Westminster. At
present the oath is administered before the full Court of the
Barons of the Exchequer, as his Majesty's representatives
upDA the occasio4,-04a'res$,