The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-13 00:00:00

"NM., •
social welfare of the people. His gift to Len'
don, however, surpasses anything which has ever
been known in the history of private charity. If
the Marquis of Westminster, or the Duke of Bed-
ford, or some other of the great territorial lords
of England, had bestowed one hundred and fifty
thousand pounds upon the poor of London, there
would have been sufficient cause for satisfaction
and congratulation. But the gift came from an
American gentleman who had spent some years in
business here, and whose love for this metropolis is
not the love of a native " to the manner born,
but simply the affection of a foreigner for a city
which has been the scene of his early struggles
and his later triumphs. And here we have
an illustration of American character. Mr.
Peabody, like other Americans, remembered first
his own native place and his own country;
afterwards, he could afford to be generous to
the city where he has spent so many useful and
prosperous years. So the Americans, who gave
their millions to the Sanitary Commission and kin-
dred charities during the war, did not forget, even
in the midst of their own grievous troubles, the poor
operatives of Lancashire, but sent over aid to them
by thousands of pounds. And so the American
people are always ready and willing to show their
friendship for the people and the institutions of
Great Britain. Surely, with such ambassadors of:
friendship and good-will as America presents to.
England in the person of George Peabody and his,
compatriots, there ought to be something more than
kindly feeling—there ought to be positive affection-
--between the people of the two countries.

THE IRON TRADE.

BIRMINGHAM, Friday Evening.
The second meeting of the ironmasters of this,
district for the current quarter was held in the
Town-hall here this afternoon, In one respect the
assembly afforded a contrast to that of Wolver-
hampton ; the attendance was large, and the trade-
in other iron-producing districts was well repre-
sented ; but as to buyers, the number was compa-
ratively scanty, and beyond the ordinary contracts
not much business was done. In that and other re-
spects it was unquestionably a quiet quarter-day,
but there were no indications whatever of depres-
sion, and the tone was rather cheerful than other-
wise. None but over-sanguine people, or those who
have pushed their power to obtain credit to the ex-
treme, and are always expecting something extra-
ordinary to turn up, would expect a large amount
to be done at the beginning of January, with money
at 8 or 9 per cent. ; but those who have something
at stake are content in existing circumstances with
a steady though moderate trade ; and although
there were not any speculative orders given out here
to-day or at Wolverhampton yesterday at nearly
all the works they .have sufficient on the books to
keep them in full operation.
For bar iron the demand is dull; the unsatisfac-
tory state of the trade in respect of sheets was
alluded to in our report from Wolverhampton, and
no improvement was experienced to-day. As to wire
iron of the very best quality, the price asked was in
some instances 7s. 6d. per ton in advance of last
quarter day. In reference to the meeting to-day
it may also be noticed that the Liverpool house°
evinced little disposition to enter into engagements.
The pig-ironmasters were in good spirits again'
to-day—the prevailing quotation for all mines,
Staffordshire, was £4 per ton.
For Shropshire iron, Lilleshall and • otherwise/
there was the usual steady demand.