The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-17 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Since my last letter gold has declined from 137 to 1331,
or 31 pe r cent, in the week just past. Government has
been a large seller of gold, and the California steamers
have brought over $2,000,000 of the precious metals
during the last few days. Tho mines of the Pacific States
are now sending weekly an average of $1,800,000 in gold
and silver to New York, and in the absence of any export
demand, of course specie is rapidly accumulating at this
point, which is the great cause of the late decline. There
was held by the sub-treasury at New York, on March 1,
$48,000,000 in gold, and by the banks $14,000,000 more,
making in all 62,000,000, nearly £13,000,000, or as much
as the Bank of England held according to last accounts
received here. This being the case, why should gold be
at such a premium as even 331 per cent ? Greenbacks,
considering our enormous revenue, and the revenues of
the country, are worth par in gold to-clay, if they are worth
anything ; and I anticipate the day is not far distant when
our Government notes will be worth 100 in gold. 5-20's
have risen about 1 per cent during the week, and Erie and
Illinois Railways have advanced 2 per cent.
The following are the last two returns of the New York
Banks:

Discounts. Specie. Circulation. Deposits.
Feb. 17, 1866 243,068,252 10,308,758 22,983,274 189,777,290
Feb. 24, 1866 239,776,200 14,213,351 22,959,918 183,241,404
DRY GOODS.-The market for domestic dry good in this
city has been dull and heavy throughout the week. Pur-
chases are extremely light, and solely for consumption.
The stock of goods in hand is accumulating. The market
closes to-day dull and unsettled. The foreign dry goods
market is quiet, and transactions are made chiefly at
auction.
COTTON.--The market was ratter strong in tone; there
was less pressed for sale, and quotations were better, al-
though there was less done. The market, however, must
be regarded as in a very feverish state, and liable to ex-
treme fluctuations. Sales 2,500 bales, at 434 c to 45c for
Middlings.
BREADSTLIFFS.-There was a strong' upward turn to the
market, with some activity. The foreign advices and re-
duced stocks are in favour of the buyer.
The common and medium grades of State and Western
Flours were 5c to 10c better, and quite active. Sales
9,600 bbls at $6.75 to $7.35 for Supers ; $7.40 to $7.80 for
Sound Extra State; $8.85 to 8.60 for Shipping and Round
Hoop Ohio ; $7.60 to $10.25 for Extra Western ; $10.40
to $14.50 for Double Extra Western and St. Louis.
Southern flour was firmer, but quiet ; sales 700 bbls at
$8 75c to $9 90c. for supers ; $lO to $l5 50c for fancy and
extra.
Canada flour was decidedly firmer. Sales 400 bbls at $7
75c to $8 15c for common ; $8 25c to $ll 50c for good to
choice extras.
Rye flour was quiet at $4 75c to $5 50c.
Corn meal was dull, but firm. Sales 250 bbls at $3 75c
for Jersey, and $4 35c for brandy wine.
GRAIN.-The wheat market was decidedly firmer and
more active. The demand was chiefly for fine reds for
milling. Sales 60,000 bushels at $1 62c to $1 68c for Mil-
waukee Club ; $1 70c for amber do. ; $2 20c for red West-
ern; $2 30c to $2 32c for amber Western and State; and
$6 30c for white Western.
Corn was decidedly firmer, and but sparingly offered.
Sales 60,000 bushels, including unsound mixed at 75c to
78c ; sound Western mixed at 78c to 81c ; Jersey and Dela-
ware yellow at 82c to 84c.
Oats were rather firmer, and fairly active. Sales 40,000
bushels, including Canadian at 55c to 56c ; Western un-
sound at 40c to 450 ; State at 5640 to 58c ; Jersey and
Southern at 50c to 52c.
DRUGS, DYES, &C.-The market is quiet, except for che-
micals, in which more business has been done. Sales in-
clude small lots E. I. Castor of? at $3'324c to $3 35c ; 10
ceroons prime Honduras cochineal 95 cants gold; 800 to
500 tons soda ash, 71c to 9c; 675 casks bleaching powder,
54c to 51c-now held higher; 30c do. to arrive 3jc to 34e;
140 drums caustic soda, 104 e-now held at 11c to 114 c ;
300 do. to arrive, 74c gold; 250 kegs bl carb. soda, lie to
114 c ; 15 tons sal soda, 4 ; 5 casks cream tartar, 30 gold ;
10 do. regulus antimony, 134; 10,0001bs gum kowrie,
partly sifted, 39 ; rough do. may be quoted 35 ; 10,0001bs
English white sugar lead, 42 ; 5 tons do. in bond, 104 c
gold; 5,0001bs American brown do., 25, cash.
DYEWOODS-The demand has fallen off, and the market
is dull for St. Domingo logwood, at $2l to $23 currency.
IRON-The market is firm, but not active. In'Scotch
pigs we notice a sale of 250 tons Glengarmock, at $49, ex
ship, and 100 tons, in lots from yards, at $5O to $5l.
American is firm at $4B to $5O for No. 1, and $47 to $4B
for No. 2, as in lots and delivery. We notice the sale of
150 tons old cast-iron at $42.
LEAD-Has been in moderate demand, and is rather
firmer, at no to 64e, gold.
Ons-Linseed oil is quiet at sl3Bc to $1 40c. Lard
oil is selling at $1 80c to $1 850. Sperm oil has been quiet
at $2 40c for crude.
PETROLEUM.-Tho market was dull, and prices droop-
ing, at 27c to 28c for crude; 44c to 454 e for refined, in
bond; 62c to 64c for refined, free.
RICE remains quiet at 9c to 944 for Rangoon, and 12c to
13c for Carolina.
SEELTER is dull at 7c gold.
SUGAR.-Raws were rather more active, but without
any advance, though some holders ask a trifle higher
prices. We quote-Fair to good refining, 104 c to lOic.
Sales 880 hhds at 104 c to 12c for Cuba, 220 hhds Marti-
nique, private terms, and 212 boxes Havana, part 124 c to
144 c. Refined having declined nearly lc in the past week,
are more active at 164 c for soft white ; 14c to 154 c for
yellow.
TOBACCO.-There is not much doing. Sales 83 hhds.
Kentucky, 7c to 21c; 50 bbls Yara, private terms.
WooL.-There is nothing doing this week in wool, more
than the last-every thing seems to be quiet ; no manufac-
turers are in market, and there is no speculative demand,
Prices are declining for low and medium wools, and fine
descriptions are less wanted. We hear of no sales of any
importance.
FREIGHTS are very dull for weight, but cotton fs going
forward freely. To Liverpool--500 bales cotton, 5-16 d,
and per steamer, 600 bales at 7-16 d. To Bremen, 300 bales
cotton at
The exporte from this port of some of the leading articles
of domestic produce have been at follows :-
Past Since Same
week. Jan. 1. time '65.
Cotton, bales 6,721 88,251 7,217
Flour, bbls 16,095 173,187 223,889
Corn Meal, bbls
Wheat bush
Corn, bush 61,495 906,996 74,591
Rye, bush
Oats, bush 35,00 40,000 ...
Beef, tcs and bbls 832 - 9,993 18,631
Pork, bbls
Bacon, &c., 1001bs 13,021 19,950 82,187
Lard, 1001bs
Cheese, 1001bs
Butter, 1001 b 391 1,736 38,861
Ashes, csks 672 578
Ashes, Pearls, csks. 11 21 119
Beeswax, 1b5....
Hops, bales _ 112 5,037
Rosin, bbls 2,- 90 30,993 1,564
Crude, Turp., bbls _ 110
•.•
S pirits, Turp.,bbls l_26 895
137,68 U 380,756 1,023,077
357
Tar, bbls
Tallow 100Ibs
Tobacco, pkgs
21,933 31,593
Oil, Whale, galls • 1,5▪
1° 8,128 4,768
Oil, Petroleum, galls 695,186 4,504,277 1,563,728
Oil,To ascpceol,. s
galls. .. .. , ..
Oil, Lard, galls •••_ 8,380 5,048
Seed, Clover, bags 1)523 27,347 6,664
Staves, M. ............ 85 1,383 2,649
Oil Cake, 1001bs ••• 71,736 48,672
Whalebone, lbs ...... ••• 95,788 8,834
MARCH
3 (Evening). -The closing quotations of stocks
eveningthis
Erie, 854 ; Illi-
nois Central, 1151 5-20 United States Bonds, 103.
WALL STREET.
is as follows : -Gold, 1334.

CANADIAN RECIPROCITY TREATY.—The Recipro-
city Treaty expires to-day (17th inst.), in consequence of
the notice given by the United States Government on the
17th March, 1865, to terminate it at the expiration of 12
months from that day on the ground that 4, it is no longer
for the interest of the United States to continue it in force.
The treaty came into operation on March 16, 1855, and was
made for 10 years certain, and further until the expiration
of a year's notice from one of the contracting parties.
BREACII OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.—MiSS Alice
Mangnall brought an action at the Lancashire Assizes
against George Warr for bfeach of promise of marriage.
The plaintiff was a lady residing in Eccles, and tho defen-
dant a slate merchant at Bolton. The damages wore laid
at £l,OOO. After a conference it was stated that a verdict
would bo taken by consent for £3OO.