The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-26 00:00:00

United States Finances.

It is computed, froin official data, that since the
last annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury,
made on the 30th of October last, he has reduced the
aggregate amount of the public debt $29,000,000,
and has paid $29,000,000 of currency interest on
seven-thirty bonds, and $30,000,000 coin interest on
gold-bearing bonds, making an aggregate of cur-
rency and coin interest of $59,000,000 paid. In
addition to this he has paid all the current expenses
of the Government, and a large amount of requisi-
tions from the War and Navy Departments, cover-
ing war expenditures incurred previous to his re-
port, not before audited, and not included in the
statement of the public debt. On November 1 his
coin balance was $34,554,087 15 ; his currency balance
$33,800,59154; making an aggregate of $68,355,578
69. On March 1 he had in coin, $55,736,192 12,
and in currency, $60,282,767 12, making an
aggregate of $116,018,959 24 of coin and cur-
rency—an increase of coin of $21,181,108 97, and
an increase in currency of $26,482,175 58 ; total
increase of money in the Treasury, of gold and
currency, of $47,663,180 55. In brief, the public
debt has been reduced $29,000,000 since November
1, while there is in the Treasury over $47,500,000
of specie andcurrency more than at the first-named
date, showing an improvement in the finance of the
Treasury in the debit and credit statements of over
$76,500,000. 'There are still further encouraging
features presented. This reduction of the public
debt is entirely in the short-date obligations and
interest-bearing and plain legal-tenders, all of
which have more or less an inflating tendency.
On November 1 the outstanding seven-thirties
were $830,000,000 ; on March 1 they were
$818,044,000 ; showing a reduction of nearly
$12,000,000. The increase of compound interest
notes during the same interval has been only
$1,000,000, while the decrease of one and two years'
legal tender notes has been $24,000,000, and of
plain legal-tenders $4,736,196. The legal-tenders
of all kinds in circulation on the Ist of November
were $633,709,611 ; on the Ist of March,
$605,984,414, showing a decrease of $27,725,197.
These results may be summed up as follows :
Since November 1 the debt has decreased
$29,000,000 ; balance in Treasury increased over
$47,500,000 ; contraction in the volume of legal-
tender circulation, $27,725,197 ; and contraction in
short-date obligations of Government, $12,000,000
more. The argument is advanced by skilful finan-
ciers, judging from the exhibit made above, that
the progress of contraction can go on without any
of the anticipated evils which have been predicted
—the healthy condition of the currency being a
sufficient proof of the correctness of these impres-
sions.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

NORWICH- SATURDAY.

With a middling supply of wheat at this market to-day,
there was a general dulness in the trade, and to effect sales
a concession in prices was made of is per qr. For the few
lots of barley which are now offered high rates are main-
tained, and all good qualities were still taken off for malt-
ing; grinding sorts fully os dear.
White wheat (weighing 641 b), 50s to 54s ; old red ditto
(weighing 651 b), 48s to 50s ; new red ditto (weighing
60113 to 631 b), 42s to 47s ; bast malting barley (weighing
521 b to 531 b), 34s to 36s ; runs ditto (weighing 511 b to 521 b),
34s to 365; distilling ditto (weighing bolb to 521 b), 30s to.
328 ; oats, 24s to 26s ; beans, Ws to 39s ; peas (maple), 363
to 38s per qr. Flour, 31s per sack.

NOT T INGHAM—SATURDAY.
At our corn exchange to-day we had a fair supply of
wheat, and the attendance of farmers and factors Was
tolerable. Considerable progress has been made with field
work during the past week. The demand for wheat was
slow, and prices were rather lower than last Saturday.
There was a healthy demand for barley, and prices had a
tendency to advance. The show of oats was good, at re-
cent rates.

Old white wheat, 57s to 60s ; old red, 50s to 52s • new
white, 54s to 58s ; new red, 46s to 50s per 36 stone. 'Oats,
old, 30s to 35s ; new, 26s to 30s per 24 stone. Beans, old,
50s to 53s ; new, 43s to 47s per 38 stone.

YORK—SATURDAY.
At this day's market there was a moderate show of
wheat, for which the trade was very dull, at last week's
prices. Barley was in limited supply, and fully as dear.
New white wheat, 48s to 54s ; new red, 45s to 48s per 36
stone. Barley, for malting, 38s to 40s. per qr. ; grinding,
30s to 34s per 30 stone. Oats, new, 22s to 26s per 24 stone •
Beans, new, 40s to 44s per 40 stone. -