The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-06 00:00:00

COLONIAL.

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TEA.—The public sales have proceeded without any
animation, and prices generally are inactive.
SUGAR.— There have been no public sales, but the ad-
vices from the continent have caused a firmer tone, and
holders are demanding a slight advance on present rates.
COFFEE.—A firmer tone was apparent, caused by the
favourable character of the continental advices. Superior
qualities of Plantation Ceylon sold readily at an advance of
is to 2s per cwt.

RicE.--:-Business has remained very quiet, and prices
generally are firm.

SALTPETRE.—There have been no sales of importance,
and late rates are generally current.
TALLOW.—The market is quiet. P.Y.C. on the spot
is quoted 44s 9d, and last three months 46s 6d. per cwt.,
buyers.

GREEN FRUIT.—Market quiet. The season for oranges
being over, some parcels Messina and Palermo lemons, sold
by Keeling and Runt at public sale, went at similar prices
to those obtained last week. Nuts of all kinds dull, the
quantity of fresh fruits now being received interfering with
the sale.

MAGNETIC PERTURBATION.—The Academy of
Sciences has received a paper from M. Mermet, Professor
of Natural Philosophy at Marseilles, on certain curious
perturbations of the needle in consequence of the earth-
quake which occurred in that town on the 19th of
May last. The circumstances were as follows:—On
that day Professor Mermet was explaining to his
class the use to which the mariner's compass is
applied, and he had just made it deviate eastwards from its
original position, when, instead of oscillating regularly
right and left of the magnetic meridian, it suddenly
veered to the west, at the same time oscillating irregu-
larly from left to right and up and down, just as if it
attributing this action to three small keys he had
iwnerehisforwciabily stcoaacttedp(::: b
y a magnet. The professor,
put them away, and re-
cofrom the table by way of further precaution ; but the
sammemeanbeneodrmtahlemeoxtiPoei
motions were going to some distance
perceived. While both he
and his pupils were observing this singular phenomenon,
two shocks were felt: a strange noise was heard proceed-
ing from the cabinet of Natural Philosophy, separated
from the amphitheatre by a thin partition, and while
the floor was still quivering under the influence
of the shook the glass doors of the presses grated
on
a telegraphic apparatus
sounded, and the shutters of the windows knocked against
ontheirthe bell of
its
plate, hinges, the receiver of the air-pump shook
the wall.' Before the effects of the two shocks were quite
over, the needle returned to the magnetic meridian, and
soon became stationary there. But for the space of 14
minutes it remained in a case of tremor which can only
be explained by the subterraneanean action in pro-
gress, since, the experiments being soon after resumed, no
further irregularity was remarked. Hence M. Mermet con-
cludes that the generally received opinion, according to
which earthqualus do not disturb the regular action of
the except mechanically, can no longer be main-
tained, needle,sine the needle in this instance was disturbed five
minutes before the shock occurred.

CONSCIENCE HONEY.--In the financial year end-
ing with March, 1866, sums amounting together to £7,434
wero remitted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer by sundry
persons for conscience' sake. In the previous year the
amount was £7,184.

ETON COLLEGE.—The examination for the Tom-
line Mathematical Prize has just been concluded at Eton
with the following results :—Lock, K.S., prizeman, Gosset,
K.S.,
are
end prizeman ; Buckland, Hoare, The fol-
lowingin
alphabetical order :—Bousor, ma. ; Hardy,
ma. ; Rawlins, K.S., Thompson, ma. ; Wilson, ma. ; and
Wood, K.S. The examiner was the Rev. N. M. Ferrers,
M.A., Fellow and Tutor of Gonville and Caius College,
Cambridge. . •