The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-22 00:00:00

113RICET AND CITY NEWS.

CITY, Two o'CLocic.

The general demand for discount accommodation
continues active, and the applications during the
last few days have increased at the Bank as well as_
in the open market, where full rates are paid for the
negotiation of commercial bills. It is expected that
the inquiry will be further stimulated during the
next two or three weeks, but an advance in the
minimum rate of discount is not looked for at pre-
sent, owing to the accumulated resources of the
national establishment, and the approaching release
of the half-yearly dividends.

Letters from Liverpool report that in the Cotton
Market business was quiet, and prices had a down-
ward tendency. The sales were 6,000 bales. The
Railway Share Market closed with rather more
activity, and quotations exhibited a slight improve-
ment. ,

A call of 15s. per share, amounting to £50,625,
becomes due to-morrow on the Victoria Station and
Pimlico Railway.
The 24th annual meeting of the National Provi-
dent Institution took place to-day—S. H. Lucas,
Esq., in the chair. Mr. Marsh, the secretary, read
the report, which was highly satisfactory, and
stated that the amount assured in the past twelve
months had exceeded that of either of the two
preceding years. The claims arising through
deceased members had amounted to £109,546.
The balance of receipts over expenditure
for the past year was £134,134 155., which,
added to the capital stock of the institution, made
the total £1,755,685 6s. 11d., invested in Govern-
ment and other securities. The total annual in-
crease was £283,546, and the number of members
was 12,966. The report was well received, and
adopted unanimously. After the re-election of
directors and auditors a cordial vote of thanks was
given to the chairman and directors and to Mr.
Marsh, the secretary of the institution. _ .

There has been very little alteration to-day in the
position of the Stock Exchange markets, the deal-
ings having been too limited to cause any change
of importance. Quotations, however, are well
maintained, as there is nothing in monetary
or political affairs to create depression. Consols
have been 95: I all day. The upward tendency of
the French Funds is exercising a favourable influ-
ence upon the market hero. The New Three per
Cents. and the Reduced are steady at 954 n
Long Annuities, at 171 ; and Exchequer Bills, at
28s. to 31s. prem. ; India Loan Debentures (1856)
have advanced to 97! ; ditto (1859), to 971;
ditto, enfaced paper, is 96; the New Loan Stock is
firmer, at 1041

The transactions in Foreign Securities have been
rather limited, and prices are steady. Turkish 6
per Cents. are 763- to 773 ; ditto New, 64 to 65 ;
Mexican are firm at 22,3 ; and Dutch 4 per
Cents., at 101 ; Venezuelan 23- per Cents, remain at
29; Sardinian, at 85; Spanish 3 per Cents., at
451 ; Portuguese 3 per Cents., at 461; and
Chilian 4f per Cents., at 871.
_ _

The Ocean Marine Insurance Company's shares
are 1} to 1 premium, and the Universal ditto,
I prem.

Business is reported in the San Paulo Railway
at kto I prem. . _

The last week's railway receipts, ascertained up
to this day, are in round figures as under :

1859. 1858.
Great Western . £30,178 £28,916
North-Western 72,534 66,552
Month-Western
Brighton
Midland
louth-Eastern
Great Northern 27,147 23,479
Lancashire and Yorkshire
Bristol and Exeter 6,039 6,630
North-Eastern
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln ... 11,053 9,527
North British
Oxford. Worcester, and Wolverhampton 4,686 4,399
West Hartlepool
Dublin and Wicklow
Edinburgh and Glasgow 5,615 5,192
Glasgow and South-Western 6,890 6,457
butch Rhenish
Grand Trunk of Canada
Great Western of Canada
These returns show a satisfactory increase in
Most of the principal lines. On the Great Western
it amounts to £2,262, on the North Western to
£5,982, on the South Western to £1,116, on the
Brighton to £583 ; the Midland, £1,658 ; the South
Eastern, £1,066 ; the Great Northern, £3,668 ; the
Lancashire and Yorkshire, £4,220; the North
Eastern, £969 ; Edinburgh and Glasgow, £423 ;
Grand Trunk of Canada, £3,296, and Great Western
of Canada, £124.

The transactions in the Railway Share Market
have been very limited, and in some instances less
firmness has been displayed in prices. Edin-
burgh, Perth, and Dundee, Lancashire and
Yorkshire, Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln,
Midland, North Eastern (York), and South
Xastern have declined 55., and Great Western 10s.
North Western improved 6s. and South Western,
10s. The Foreign and Colonial undertakings
have been very inactive, at about previous prices.
Joint Stock Bank and Miscellaneous Shares
have been at almost nominal values. Ottoman
Bank declined ss. Commercial of London, and
London and County brought former rates. Royal
Mail Steam have declined about 10s.

SitlTlsll FINDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Bank Stock
3 per Cont. Reduced Annuities 951 1
New 3 per Cent. Annuities 954 1
Antis. 30 Years, expire sth April, 1885 l7l
India Stock
Ditto Debentures, 1858 971 1
Ditto, 1859 • • • 971
Ditto Bonds, £l,OOO
Ditto Enfaced Paper
Pontiols for Account (Jan. 10)
India Stock for Acounnt —
Ditto, 1859, 5 per Cent.
Exchequer Bills, £1,000,11431
DitIOBI OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK.
ChiHan' 6 per Cent —
I' Ditto 41 per cent B7l
Ilexioan 3 per Cent.
Ditto Account
Peruvian 41 per Cent —
Ditto (Uribarren), 41 per Cent.
Portuguese, 1853, 3 per Cent.
Sardinian, 5 per Cent
Ditto Account
Spanish 3 per Cent. 45/ I ,
Swedish, 4 per Cent.
Turkish 6 per Cent
Ditto Account
Ditto New Loan
Ditto Account
Venezuelan 21 per Cent —
Ditto Accoant
Dividends on the above payable in Londoa.
Dutch Exchange, 12 Guil. 21 per Cent...
Ditto Certificates, 4 per Cent.
TWO O'CLOCK.

Consols, Money
Ditto Account (Jan. 10) .. 951 d

THE COURT.— Her Majesty the Queen, his
Royal Highness the Prince Consort, his Royal Highness
the Prince of Wales, the Princesses Alice, Helena, Louisa,
and Beatrice, with the Princes Arthur and Leopold, ac-
companied by the ladies and gentlemen of the Court, ar-
rived in Portsmouth harbour yesterday morning, at 11.30
kra. on board the Royal screw yacht Fairy, Captain the
/ton. Joseph Joseph Denman, from Osborne, en route for Wind-
sor, under the customary loyal demonstration from the
shipping at Spithead and in harbour, and from the
saluting battery of the garrison. On her Majesty and the
Royal family disembarking from the Fairy, at the landing-
"age of the Royal Clarence-yard, the august party were
received by Major-General Sir James Yorke Scarlett,
Admiral W. Bowles, C. 8., Capt. Hastings, C. 8.,
Colonel Somerset, C.B. Colonel Luard, Colonel Connolly,
Colonel Hon. Shafto Adair, aide-de-camp, Town-Major
'lreton, Colonel Anderson, R.M.L.1., Flag Lieutenant
Robinson, Mr. Noddall, Master-Attendant of Clarence-
yard, and a guard of honour composed of 103 men of the
Royal Marine Light Infantry, under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell, with the colours and splendid
band of the corps. A special train with the Royal carriages
was in waiting at the Queen's private station in the Cyt-
ranee -yard, in charge of Mr. Beattie, locomotive superin-
tendent, and Mr. Godson, chief superintendent tot the
South-Western Railway. The Royal party immediately
entered the carriages of the train, the guard of honour pre-
senting arms, and the band playing the national anthem,
and started at once for Basingstoke, Mr. Stevens, station-
Master at Gosport, had the superintendence of the train at
*he Queens private station.
Mr. RUSSELL'S INDIAN DIARY.—We are glad to
see that the new work on India by Mr. William Howard
Usual, tho correspondent of the Times in the Crimea and
the
East, is announced for publication by the firm of Rout-
_edge and Co. It is entitled "My Diary in India," and we
reel confident will prove very attractive to readers of every
class, but especially to those who take an interest in the
affairs of our Eastern Empire. As lie accompanied the
Commander-in-Chief through the two campaigns in Oude
and in Rohilcund, visited the principal cities of Upper
India, lived for a time in the Himalayan hills, and travelled
over a large extent of the North-west Provinces, he has had
a wide field of observation ; and in addition to the opportu-
ity of seeing Indian warfare, ho met many of the most re-
l!tarlrable men in India, and witnessed many phases of In-
Rian life, both native and European. His position afforded
4, Peculiar advantages and facilities for collecting stores
Information, and brought him into contact with persons
(. all classes, military and civilians. The "Diary," we may
be Sure will be no less entertaining than instructive, abound
with spirited narratives of adventure, and with those
glowing passages of description which impart so winning a
ttite4 to all Mr. Russell's writings,—Daily News, Dec. O.