The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-23 00:00:00

4.10.NEY _MARKET AND CITY NEIVS.

CITY, Two o'CLocK.

A very easy tone still pervades the
.'general dis-
count market, where the supplies of money are far
in excess of the current demands, and the conse-
quence is that the rates still show a tendency to
decline rather than otherwise. First class bills
are negotiated slightly under 3 per cent., capi-
talists being disposed to accept that moderate
quotation in order to find employment for a por-
tion of their surplus means. On the Stock
Exchange the returns asked for temporary
advances are still remarkably moderate.
•

There were no bullion operations of importance
at the Bank of England yesterday.
The Indus has arrived from Alexandria with
the heavy portion of the India, China, and Austra-
lian Mails, and £182,800 in specie.
No important alteration took place in the foreign
exchanges yesterday afternoon.
The specie movement continues satisfactory, inas-
much as nearly the whole of the gold received from
Australia and other places is taken into the Bank
of England. The remittances recently made to
America, including a moderate consignment to-day,
are not regarded with the slightest anxiety, be-
cause the efflux in that direction is scarcely
expected to assume proportions calculated to inter-
fere with the position of monetary affairs at home.

Gold is now about 4-10ths par cent. dearer in
London than in Paris, and 2-10ths higher here than
in Hamburgh. _ _

The directors of the Great North of Scotland
Railway Company are prepared to receive applica-
tions for portions of a further issue of new £lO
shares bearing interest at the rate of 41 per cent. per
annum.

On the Great Western Railway of Canada the
traffic receipts for the week ending the 11th inst.
amounted to £11,122, being a decrease of £4OO
compared with the corresponding period of last
y ear.

Considerable excitement prevailed in the Liver-
pool Cotton market yesterday, and prices of
American descriptions advanced t-d. to Id. per lb.
The sales amounted to 20,000 bales.
A new fire insurance :company, entitled the
" London and Lancashire," has just been formed.
The prospectus states that it is estabiished for the
purpose of extending to Liverpool, as well as to
London and elsewhere, that addition to the facili-
ties for fire insurances which was recently demanded
for the metropolis, and which the extraordinary in-
crease in the commerce of Liverpool now consti-
tutes an urgent necessity. The capital is to be
£1,000,000, with power to increase: The shares
are to be divided into 40,000, at £25 each, of which
only £200,000 is to be at present called up. The
company seems to be fortunate in the choice of its
directors, as they are all gentlemen well known for
their respectable and large mercantile connections
With the ports of London and Liverpool.
At the half yearly meeting of the Royal Mail
Steam Packet Company to-day the usual dividend
of £2 per share was declared.

The half yearly meeting of the shareholders in
the West Flanders Railways took place to-day, and
a dividend of per share was agreed to ; the direc-
tors' report in which it was recommended, being
unanimously adopted.
Very little animation has prevailed in the mar-
ket for Public Securities to-day, speculation still
being conducted on a limited scale ; but, upon the
Whole, a firmer tone has been manifested, and
Consols are 929 for transfer, and 921 I for the 7th
proximo, The New Threes are steady at 901,1
the Reduced flat at 90s ; Exchequer Bills, June,
have advanced to 9s. and 12s. prem. ; India 5 per
Cent. is firm at 1041 Ls- ; the 5 per Cent. Enfaced
Paper at 961 ; and the 51 per Cent. 1031 ; Bank
Stock has receded to 232.