The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-21 00:00:00

(From the Philadelphia Public Ledger, Nov. 5.)

A fire insurance case was decided last week at Chicago,
in which suit was brought to recover from the ➢lerchants'
Fire Insurance Company, of Hartford, on several policies
of insurance, in the whole amounting to 516,000. Two
defences were opposed: First, That the plaintiffs either
set fire to their own store or acted so grossly negligent as
to affect the policy. Second, That they furnished a false ac-
count of the value of the goods. Judge Davis in his charge was
explicit, if either of the defences is true the plaintiffs can-
not recover. But if the plaintiffs show that they had no
intention to overstate the amount of value of the property
lost, then the law allows them to recover the actual
amount lost. In the case of such accidental misrepresen-
tations the law is indulgent. In such a case the burden of
proof is thrown on the defendant. The jury returned a
verdict for the plaintiffs for 52,718 75. A motion fora new
trial was made by defendant.
Tho Tribune, writing on Thursday evening, the Gth
inst., on the state of the market during the day, observes:
—" Erie Railway shares, which were supposed to be the
chief point of attack by the present combination, were
strong throughout, and, notwithstanding the rumours cir-
culated to damage their market value, did not yield to the
attack on the balance of the market. At the one o'clock
board the market was dull, but free of panic. At the
Second Board prices wero steady at the close. New
York Central broke to 120, afterwards rallying
to 121, closing at 1201. The balance of the market
presented an unsettled appearance, ending in panic, and
there were no purchasers for anything but shorts.
Tho Government market has been panicky. The decline
was 3i per cent. on the new bonds from the opening quo-
tations of yesterday. This great break on the election
of Grant is unexpected to all holders, domestic and foreign,
but is to be easily explained. It is now reported that
Mr. M'Culloch, who has on several occasions taken pains
within the past month to say that no further sales of bands
would be made, has sold fully eight millions of 5-20 s
within the past ton days, and has boon a seller to-day, on
the most stringent money market ever known on the street.
It is incredible to believe, after all the assurances to
the contrary which have been made, that this can be the
case, with fully 560.000,000 surplus gold in the Treasury
after paying the November interest. Any further in-
crease of the gold-bearing debt is an outrage on holders of
bonds. The present depression is caused by a Democratic
ring, who have locked up 12 to 15 millions to break all
values, and, assisted by secret sales by the Treasury, they
have been able to give an appearance of a want of confi-
dence to our securities that is entirely artificial and false.
GoVernment Bonds close weak and unsettled.

(From Memrs. Satterthunite's Circular.)
LONDON, Nov. 18, 1868.

The market for United States Government Bonds in
London has since our last been steady, the price of the 5-20
Bonds, 1862, reaching from 734 to 74k, closing 74, buyers.
The fluctuation in Erie Shares, with large transactions, has
been again of a very extraordinary character, and altogether
subversive of the usual calculations ; that two opposite par-
ties in America are operating largely in the shares is cir -
tain, and various circumstances are put forth from time to
time as causes for the effect. That the wildest excitement
has prevailed in the New York market is evident from the
fact that within the past week Erie shares have been down
to 361 and up to 62. The latest information we have by tele-
graph is that an injunction was sought for by Mr. Belmont
and others to stop further issue of stock, and to restrain
directors using money. There continue to be inquiries
about Pacific Central Railroad Six per Cent. Bonds and
Union Pacifies, and transactions in the latter have taken
place at 69. Atlantic and Great Western Debentures
have improved about 1 per cent. on the peaceful termina-
tion of the suit in Chancery, which: is the first step to-
wards the removal of the receiver in America. Illinois
shares remain steady.