The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-08 00:00:00

7,1.7 e 7,7 71-
,4) ANI .61

• . •
774.j,2.,
.6." "4.

AiITD

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE,

CITY, Two o'CLoerc.
The noceunts from the manufacturing districts
received this morning state that business during
the past week has not been quite so active. At
Birmingham retail traders cemplain sadly of the
dearth of orders ; there are, however, signs of re-
turning activity , and a good spring trade is expected
with North America. Business at Manchester,
owing to the rise in the value of cotton, has not
been brisk, buyers for exportation acting with great
caution. For the Indian and German markets there
is a fair demand, and some little improvement has
taken place in printing cloths ; buyers, however, still
hesitate to give the advanced rates demanded by
manufacturers. The lace trade at Nottingham
has been very quiet. A few orders for home con-
sumption have been executed in the warehouses,
but beyond this there is 1 ttle change to report.
In the hosiery trade there is no improvement to
Import, business being unusually dull. In the
glove branch, however, a slight improvement has
taken place. At Leeds the demand for cloths was
very inactive in the various balls, only a
moderate amount of business was transact-d, but
although prices are generally firm, there is not the
animation which in more prosperous times has
been usual at the commencement of the spring
trade. The wool trade at Bradford has been
active, and a fair business is reported in yarns, at
full rates. Piece goods are quiet, and there is
little or no demand for exportation ; and the late
rather unfavourable accounts from the United
States have for a time destroyed the hopes ent r-
tallied of a revival of trade with that
Country, and it is now generally believed
that little will be done until the fall trade
commences. The carpet trade at Halifax has con-
tinued steadily to improve, and a very fair amount
of trade has been reported at fully late quotations.
Wools also have shown an upward tendency in
prices. The hosiery trade at Leicester has exhibited
symptoms of improvement, more particularly for
goods suitable for hems use, but for export tberg is
very little doing, and great numbers of the opera-
tives aro still unemployed.
Accounts from Liverpool mentionthat the Cotton
Market on Saturday closed with a very animated
appearance, and prices cf most descriptions ad-
vanced id. per lb. The sales amounted to 12,000
bales, 5,000 of which wore taken by the speculators,
and 1,000 by the exporters. The Railway Share
Market closed quietly, and quotations were with-
out any material alteration.

The Indian Loan Bill has not led to so much
Conversation in City circles as might have been ex-
pected, locking at the amount the Leadeuhall-
Street authorities require, arid the proposed manner
of raising it. Although the operation is likely to
b e more extensive than was generally anticipate],
its probable influence upon the money
market, will not, it is ima.;ineJ, prove very
important, inasmuch as the debentures are to be
issued periodically, and the investing public will be
glad to take them in preference to the shares of
any new joint stock schemes that may be bronAit,
out. The particulars of the plan have yet to be
made known, but 013 general opinion appelrs to
be that the expediew of borrowing in the way pro-
posed is the most satisfactory that could be adopt-2d.
The demand for money continues vary quiet,
and it is thought that the Bank Directors, on
Thursday next, or in the week following at the
latest, will reduce the minimum to 3 per cent.
Owing to time provision made for the engage-
ments due on the 4th of the month, the last
Bank return exhibited a slight diminution in
the
reserve of notes, but a further mere iPe nyiy
li,"n be expecte'l, w,th regard to
a
" tulliJa, no doubt, can be felt but
that a considerable accumulation w yet take
place. Under these circumstances a lower rate of
discount may be anticipated, especially as the terms
of doors continue i per cent. under the existing
quotation at the nation4les'ablishment. The Bank
of France have made a further relixati Mi, -viz., to
par cent., and in most the other continental
al°l3eY markets indications of greater ease are
apparent.

The Cape Town Railway and D)ck Company
have received information from their engineer, Mr.
Brownger
sem
to December 30 in which he states
that he had c pleted his survey of the difficult
Port'on of the railway-18 Miles in length
rand succeed.-d in obtaining a line
without very heavy works. " Mr. Brownger
adds, "as regar Is the works on the remaining
portion of the line, I expect that they will prove
to be of quite a light description." I have ob-
served with pleasura that the goods traffic consist-
ing of produca from the interior appears to be very
Considerable, and will be undoubtedly a source of
large revenue.
Although business in the English Sto3k M Arltet
continues very quiet, the quotations are steady, awl
during the morning no alteration whatever has
.
place. A few investments have been made,
but beyond adding to the strength of the market
" impreeiion was produced. The interest now
attaching to the proceedings in Parliament, and
," alaziety.felt to ascertain whether the questions
to be discu,sed will lead to any Ministerial difficul-
restrain the speculators from extending their
efillgagemente, notwithstanding the continuous in-
of gold and lower rates for money. Consols for
transfer were 96 to 96i, then 931 96, and are now
again 96 to 901 For account prices have been 96k I.
New 3 per. Cents. are 9G a, and the Reduced
96 Bank Stock is firm at 227, and India ditto
Exchequer Bills are 29s to 325. premium, the
100'A, and India ditto 20s to 225. premium.
th-Kathor numerous transit:Urns are recorded in
fire„.,,P'rei4n market. Turkish 6 per Cents. are very
99i to 100, and the 4 per Cents. are 103 k
to 6 ; Spanish 3 per Cents. are 43i ; and the
ertiticates ; Russian 41 per Cents. have been
dealt
at 991 to 100 ; and the Sardinian at 9J to
45k ; Peruvian are 801 ; Portuguese 3 per Cents.
riand Dutch 4 per Cents. 100 to 1001.
l
Sto following are the nominll prices of Foreign
79 ;3-', :--Mexica3, 20/ 21 ; Peruvian VI per Cents.,
ce ; ditto 3 per cents., 54 56 ; Russian 5 per
s Ins:, 111 113 ;
duct° 4i per C ts 99 100 ;
Panth 3per Cents 43 43/ ; Ditto Deferred,
25i26. P

„A. very limited business has Wen transact,d in
” Railway Share Market this morning, a slight
11:nprovernent, however, is visible in one or two of
the.„_ leading lines. Great Northern, Great
....wstern, and North British advanced about ss.
inidlauds, and North Elstern (Leeds) declined 5s ;
an'l Oxford, Wore, seer, and Wolverhampton 1/.
Most of the other English lines dealt in realis,d
former quotations. The Foreign and Col,nial
lines are very quiet. The French undertakings are
at nominal quotations. E ist Indian have improved.
103. ; and Great Indian Pcninsula ss. The Canadian
lines are unaltered iu value.

lIRITISH FUNDS.—CLOSING PRICES—THIS DAY,
(From tht Olficial List:)
ILIA- Business doze.
tock
3
3 perT ......nt. K. educed Annuities.
ITIor Lent Consols Anmaities 96 A :is. 6A 5k
L" c per Cont. Annuities 96iWi
/ag Annuities, expire ctt- Jan. 1860... 2 1-16
Ditto 30 Years, expire 10th Oct., 1859 1 13-16
/41)(1,1,,°, 30 Years, expire sth April, 1.885 PIA
1 meek 213
4,4 Honda, Cl'loti ... ........... ......._••••• 20 22
)itt
0, -0, under t,lOOO 2l 25 p
1..-psols telr A c c o tt v. t • 96A i i
QL'adque 1-3111 a, tad.4000
s(it.) .• . .
:32 29 p
El Lail ..... —. • ..... •
ExelleqUer Bonds,. 1858, ai per Cent— IOJ6
PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS—THIS DAY.
4 o,ill
', nes Bonds, 6 per Cent. 99 1,,0 x d
ertivi_
t• 41.10 s Bands, 6 per Cent.. lO4 i
n
D 'i. Bowls' 41 per Cent —
• p .ttO Account
°rtilguese Beads, 5 per Cent., Con. 1841 —4l2o:ato 18)3, 3 per Cent 45
Sands, ,-..., St., 5 per ••• _
a .
.I;llt_at ; H"( 1
IA" '''
Cent
. 11010"93/
.46 per Cent.
ii`."'an Bonls, 5 per Cent. ... 90,i :0
.;"uiliitotlaktoktt',3 per Cent.
....... 4'3., i i
.p°,:t'sh Committee Cart. of Coup. not fun. 51
s"ds.
t p
Ditto ,k,un cent
100 99
UltSn Quea°ratiteed i per Cent
1)44', Account * lO3l 4A 31 x
Dutch
4,, tiN:,..i,aen_ds, on the above payable hi London.
00. 4
ti""c.."011-..z.,,per Cent., 12 Guilders
100— .
t• CertificatesA
-
Co
nsale, money 't tMEB O'CLOCK
Uensols account (M 95
arch 4)
1t.....

Mines, Banks, and Miicellaneona Shares are
exceedingly quiet, and prices show little variation.
London Chartered Bank (if Australia have receded
53. • Union of Australia, 10s. ; E is ern Steam, 1/. ;
anal South Australian Land, 38 to 38k.

-
tw,I44ITE ELF.crIoN —Ttio polling commenced in the
tow') polling distriett- for the berough—RA-hill and the
At An of Reigate—on Saturda-i morning at 8 o'clock.
r:,*`)'eloelt the returning officer, Mr. T. Martin, pro-
Ced to the Town-ball, and made the followiug dtcla-
ir,olou of the final close of the poll :—Rawlinaon, 212 ;
L) ulton, 116 ; bionsOn, 95.