The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-05 00:00:00

MARKET NEWS.—(This Day.)

CORN EXCHANGE.
GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN
For the week ended Feb. 5, 1856, made up from the Returns of the
Inspectors in the different Cities and Towns in England and Wales
per Imperial Quarter.
WHEAT. BARLEY. OATS. RTE. BEANS. 1 PEA 4,
57a Ild 46s Si 235 41 33s ld 40s 51 39s 7d
THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGE.
WHEAT. BARLEY. I OATS. I 111 E. ) BEANS. PEAS
58s 91 458 31 I 23s 61 383 ltd 41s 2d 3911 d
QUANTITIES OF GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK.
Wheat, 104,611 ; Barley, 90,376 : Oats, 17,763; Rye, 153 ; Beim,
6,553; Peas, 2,160 quarters.

MEAT MARKETS.
Nstea(ll7atctildiDay,ANasp foLIIE4DBE:N—FIBAeLeLf: —froTrahe3sde2mdatnod
4rsu6l,eid;
Mutton, 33 6d to 4s 101; Veal, 4s Od to 5s Od ; Pork, 3s 8d
to bs 2d per 81bs, by the carcase.
SOUTHALL, Feb. 4.—The supplies of stock hero to-day
were only moderate, and the trade generally ruled steady,
at full prices. Beef, from 3s 6d to 4s 10,1 ; Mutton, 4s Od
to 5s 4d ; Veal, 4s Od to 5s Od ; Pork, 4s Od to 4s lOd per
81bs, to sink the offal.
ItoktFoßD, Feb. 4.—The trade generally ruled firm, as
follows :—Beef, from 38 fid to 5s Od ; Mutton, 1s Od to 5s
6d ; Veal, 4s Od to 5s Od; Pcrk, 4s Od to 5s Od per Blbs.

HAY MARKETS.
SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, 21 12s to 4/ 48 ; clover do.,
31 lOs to 5/ 53; and straw, 11 4s to 1/ 9s per load.
A fair demand.
CUMBERLAND. —Meadow hay, 2/ 15s to 4/ 4s ; clover
do., 31 1(43 to 5/ Os ; and straw, 11 4s to 11. 9s per load,
Trade firm.
WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, 21 I.os to 41 4s ; clover
do., 3/ lOs to 5/ 53 ; and straw, 1/ 4s to 11 8s per load.
Trade steady.

DEVONPORT DOCKYARD.—Among the reported retire.
ments at hand, is that of Mr. W. Edye, master ship-
wright at this port, who, it is said, will be succeeded by
Mr. Oliver Lang, frora Pembroke, Mr. Chatfield going
from Deptford to Pembroke, vice Lang. Mr. J. P.
Peake, assistant at Woolwich, to be master shipwright
at Deptford, vice Chatfield.
SUICIDE AT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CONVENT, CHELSEA.
—Yesterday afternoon Mr. Wakley held an inquest in
the School-room of the Roman Catholic Convent, Cado-
gan-terrace, Sloane-square, Chelsea, respecting the death
of a young girl named Mary Read, aged 18 years. The
deceased on last Thursday morning went to a druggist's
shop, and obtained some oxalic acid whereby she de-
stroyed her life. After evidence had been beard, a ver-
dict was returned to the effect that the poor girl had
committed suicide when in a state of insanity.
SOUTHAMPTON ELECTION.—SOUTHAMPTON, Wednes-
day.—The writ was received here this morning, and pro-
claimed from the front of the Audit-house at noon, The
returning officers have fixed Monday next for the nomi-
nation, and Tuesday for the p(lling. Large and enthu-
siastic meetings of the friends of Mr. Andrews and Mr.
Wegw lin were held last night—the latter at the Vic-
toria-rooms, and the former in his extensive carriage
bazaar, which had been cleared out for the purpose.
The meetings were addressed by the respective candi-
dates and several of their supporters. The excitement
continues unabated, and all parties speak confidently of
their success. Sir Edward Butler holds no meetings,
trusting to his canvass and the split in the Liberal ranks
to secure his election.

THE SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL SOCIETY.--The annual meet-
ing of this society was held yesterday at the office, 86,
King William-street ; Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Hope,
K.C.8., in the chair. The report stated that the society
has been instrumental in saving life and restoring health
to many thousand seamen. The
society continues to
receive generous contributions in aid of its funds, the
statement of accounts from the let January to the 31st
December, showing receipts (with balance from the pre-
ceding year and loans from bankers) to the amount of
21,1251. Os. id. The charges ashore had been
7,1171.145. 3d., and those afloat 1,0271. 9s. 3d. On the
motion of Captain the Hon. F. Maule, seconded by Mr.
Le Breton, the report was adopted, and, the committee
for the ensuing year having been elected, the meeting
separated with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman.
MONUMENT TO LADY VICTORIA TALBOT.—Ernesto
Cali, an eminent Italian sculptor, is now completing a
monumental figure which, as it is intended for erection
in a church in England, deserves to be mentioned. It
is in memory of the beautiful Lady Victoria Susan Tal-
bot, who died in Naples last summer. The figure re-
poseson a Pompeian couch, in the same attitude in which
she lay after death. In her hands she holds a bouquet
of lilies, emblems of purity. About the middle of the
couch, also, in alto-relievo, is a cross, and lower down
near the foot is a candelabrum. The folds of the drapery
are easy and natural, and the composition good. The
bust of Lady Victoria, which is to surmount the monu-
ment, issaid to be a great likeness, and is very beautiful.
This work, whilst it reflec's credit on the taste and exe-
cution of Ernesto Cali, will be a valuable addition to our
collection of ecclesiastical art in England. Cab's name
is not unknown in England ; and in Naples he carried
off the great gold medal at the exhibition in 1855 for a
figure in silver of Sto. Rocco, now deposited in the Cathe-
dral.— WaVetiompton c4ronie6

LITERATURE

rigin and Progress of the India- Rubber Manu-
facture in England. By Thomas Hancock. Long-
man, Brown, Green, Longmans, and Roberts.
The author of this work has long and deservedly
been recognised as the father of the above important
branch of the arts. Though others have contri-
buted, to a certain extent, in promoting the appli-
cation of caoutchouc to useful purposes, to him
belongs the honour of having led the way, and
done more than any other individual, to render
this long intractable article subservient to the com-
fort, protection, and general service of the com-
munity. It is, therefore, with more than ordinary
interest we follow him through this narrative of
his thirty years' experience in India-rubber manu-
facture. A personal narrative, it is true, in so much
as it relates to his own doings, but possessing the
further claim to be considered by no means a dis-
tant approximation to a history of what has been
done in this direction. This will partly appear
from the nature of the patents he possesses and
the periods at which he took them out. Thus so
far back as April 29, 1820, we find him obtaining a
patent for the application of India-rubber to articles
of dress ; in 1830, to articles of ornament ; in
1843, for vulcanising ; in 1847, for vulcanised
solutions. Ten other patents, including ropes and
cordage, expanding cushions, dough sheets, ob-
taining forms by moulds and printing, being
further accorded him in the several intervals.
Perhaps the most interesting portion of the narra-
tive is that which records his early experiments
and discoveries. Throughout, however, we can-
not but admire the intelligence, patience, and
perseverance so conspicuously manifested. In
this aspect the narrative affords a lesson the young,
may learn with advantage. The work is illus-
trated, and contains a likeness of the author.
Among the illustrations we have fac-similes
of the plants from which caoutchouc is obtained.
A good deal of information is given respecting
them, and the way in which they are made to yield
their invaluable juice. The question of future
supply does not escape Mr. Hancock's attention,
and he points to India as the quarter where the
caoutchouc bearing plants may be cultivated with
profit, and to an extent commensurate with any
conceivable demand. We trust his more than hint
will be taken by the Indian cultivator, and that
the production of so important an article of traffic
will not be allowed to fall into other hands. Thii
is the more to be desired since the use of India-
rubber is quite in its infancy, as the public would
soon find were its employment rendered less ex
pensive by a constant and abundant supply.

Seven Churches •f Asia. By the Rev. Robert
Maguire, M.A. Knight and Son, Clerkenwell
Close.
A work which will be acceptable to a large sec-
tion of the Protestant community. The author,
who belongs to what is called " the Evangelical
party" in the Church of E igland, undertakes to
exemplify the fact that the seven churches of Asia
were designed to be " our ensamples," and that
the several Epistles addressed by the Spirit were
written "for our admonition." The lessons he
teaches are couched in earnest and kindly phrase-
ology, and are enforced by a variety and aptness of
illustration likely to render them of practical
utility.

THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

Whether the Bank will adopt any new measures of
restriction this week is a question that will depend upon
the figures of the return to be published on Friday next.
As the last return was not unfavourable, and the late
Mexican arrival has furnished a supply of silver that
will go far to, provide for the next remittance to India,
an opinion is entertained by many that, notwithstanding
the continuous nature thus far of the drain to the conti-
nent, the necessity for any immediate change may have
been removed, and that with the prospect of some large
receipts from Australia and a further considerable arrival
of silver by the West India packet due on the 17th, it is
ever probable that a return to higher rates may be alto-
gether averted. This possibilit is strentened by the
fact that the existing state of they money markets found
to exercise considerable influence in causing an economy
of the coin circulation throughout the kingdom, as well
as by the anticipation of occasional remittances of sove-
reigns from Constantinople, and the tendency observable
during the last fortnight to a reduction in the rates of
some of the continental banks. There is likewise reason
to infer that the natural course of trade must soon ope-
rate to produce an easier state. It has for a considerable
time been a cause of perplexity that the existing pressure
should have been so long maintained. If the trade of
the country, it might be asked, is more active and our
profits larger than ever, how is it that these profits do
not place no in a position of greater monetary ease 1 A
high rate of interest may prevail all over the world as a
consequence of the abundant openings for the employ-
ment of capital, but, however high the general rate may
be, England, if she is drawing profits from other coun-
tries, should, at least, be relatively better supplied than
any of them. A contrary result might be explained
by commitments to foreign leans or public works, but it
is certain that, even allowing for the Indian outlay, we
have not gone in these matters to any undue length.
Assuming the correctness of these views, the only solu-
tion that presents itself is that the demand must have
been caused by private operations, partly consisting of
an extension of enterprise by individual firms who have
furnished their correspondents with capital for employ-
ment abroad, especially in India and China, and partly
of continental investments and advances induced by the
depression on the various Bourses. In that case it must
clearly be impossible to speculate as to the period when
an alteration will be witness ed. It may occur forth-
with, or not for many months. If capital is being em-
ployed in the purchase of foreign produce or securities
to an extent to drive up the value of money here and
lessen consumption, while it creates an inflation of prices
at the producing places, the check will ultimately be
found in the losses of the operators. If, on the other
hand, nothing of this sort is carried on, there will be
ground to rely that no long time can pass before we
shall at least experience that degree of relative pecuniary
ease which is the inevitable result of unwasted gains.—
Tmes,Oity Article.