The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-21 00:00:00

ITALY.

In the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies of Turin
of the 15th, the Bill on the verification of weights
and measures, which had occupied the Chamber
during the two last sittings, was voted by a majority,
of 129 to 3. To a question by M. SALTS, the Mini-
ster of the Interior answered that he would, on the
following Monday, give every information in his
power concerning the measures of public security in
vigour in the island of Sardinia. To another ques-
tion by M. PATER'', the Minister replied that the
National Guard of Moncalieri should, according to
law, be organised within three months from the date
of the decree of dissolution. The Chamber then
gave leave to bring in a Bill on the improvement of
the breed of horses, and another for rendering the
stamp duty on periodicals proportional to their price.
The Bill on military pensions was then proceeded
with,
e I nr read doa
fdjt
FlorenceV theohtuehrefnoelidlo3wttohin:gin the Constituzionale of'
_ ,
For the second time
deplorable day.
deplorable events have occurred at Pisa on the even-
ing of the 10th. Again we demand explanations of
the 4.llonitore. A longer silence might give rise to
injurious interpretations."
Cardinal VIZZARDELLI, Prefect of the Sacred Con-
gregation of Studies, arrived at Rome on the 11th
from Portici. It was still believed at Rome at that
date that the POPE would set out for his States on
or about the 2d of April.
The Nazionale of Florence announces from Naples,
11th inst., the death of Prince DENTICE, one of the
Members of the late BOZZELLI Ministry, and who
actively contributed to the granting of the Neapolitan
Constitution.

The Tempo of Naples, of tbe. Bth, announces the
arrival in that city of Viscount D'ARLINCOIJUT, the
well-known Legititnatist writer.

TRYING PRISONERS.
TO TILE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR.—As a frequTnt:rofCourts of justice, I take the
opportunity of offering a remark respecting trying
prisoners.

- It not unfrequently happens that a prisoner, whose
trial is very long, perhaps a whole day, stands in the
dock during that period under, one may naturally sup-
pose, strong feelings, and, consequently, the less able to,
endure such a fatigue. Ido consider that it amounts to
a pieco of cruelty. It is right a prisoner should stand
to plead, and also to receive the address from the Court
either on being sentenced or discharged; but what sound
reason can be given against his being permitted to sit
during the trial?
Excuse my troubling you, but my apology must be
,he desire I feel upon this subject.—Yours, &c.,
UUbIANIT P.

20th March, 1850.

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEW S.

CITY, QUARTER TO THREE.
The sales or Cotton at Liverpool yesterday were esti-
mated at 5,000 bales, of which 500 American were Wien
for export. The market closed heavily at prices
rather in favour of buyers.—Railway Shares were quiet.
We hear on all hands complaints of dulness of trade.
The retailers are apparently working down their stocks
of produce, &c.. to the lowest extent possible, and there
is an absence of speculative inquiry. Many persons,
however, are apt enough in such cases to draw wrong
conclusions. Although the dealers buy only from " hand
to mouth," consumption must be progressing, and the
actual sales of the year need not be inferior to what they
would be were the markets, by fits and starts, much more
active. The present effect is no doubt to occasion
extreme inertness, but trade will always be safer, and
less deceptive to importers, where the sales are gradual,
and apportioned strictly to the wants of the population.
A sudden rise and extreme briskness in any article in-
duce larger supplies, and then ensues reaction. Coffee
affords us, even now, an example of this. On the other
hand, we ascribe the existing dulness to various causes.
There is an uncertainty about the new experiment of the
repeal of the navigation- iftW3, and the extent of foreign
and colonial produce which will reach our shores
now conveyance is cheaper. Then we have been for-
warding too large supplies of manufactures to
some of the distant markets, and must wait till a por-
tion is worked off. Further, the cotton jobbing has
placed spinners in a disadiantageous position, and they
desire to look about them, expecting a further decline in
the staple. These are the real causes of the existing
dulness in the commercial markets, and upon their re-
moval will depend the resumption more or less of acti-
vity. We have several favourable circumstances to
place against these adverse influences. Whatever may
be said of the Budget, all further doubt is eased for this
year, and mercantile men know what they have to ex-
pect. The accounts from the United States and Cali-
tornia are encouraging, money increases in abundance
without a corresponding outlet, and there is a strong
hope of peace being kept abroad.
Upon the settlement of the Nicaragua question, we
have the following information from the United
States : " All doubt about the settlement of the
Nicaragua question seems to be dissipated, a
treaty having been agreed upo❑ between Mr.
Clayton and Sir Henry Bulwer, which went to
England by the last steam-ship. There is some
disagreement of opinion as to whether it will be
ratified by the Senate of the United States, as it is
alleged that Mr. Clayton has ceded away rights,
or abandoned them—which is the same thing—that he
should have insisted upon, for the honour and dignity of
the country. Be this as it may, the extraordinary and
high-handed proceedings of the fussy individual who
represents the British Government in that quarter, have
been, as we have before stated, repudiated, and so have
the acts of Mr. Squier, the American Minister, to a cer-
tain extent.

" If this question is settled, there is nothing to pre-
vent the American company, who obtained the right of
way through the territory of Nicaragua fur constructing
a canal to connect the Atlantic wad Pacific Oceans, from
proceeding at once with the survey and other prelimi-
naries of that great undertaking. It is to be hoped that
there will be no more delay than is actually necessary.
The greatest difficulty which we apprehend the company
will experience will be in obtaining the necessary capital
with which to construct the work.

" Various estimates of the probable expense have been
made, ranging from ten to twenty millions of dollars,
the latter sum being probably nearer the mark than the
former. There is no doubt that the investment will be
a good one; for, in the nature of things, the commerce
of the whole world, or the greater portion of it, must
pass through it. As soon as it is completed, the United
States, from our geographical position, will derive
more advantages from it than any other nation, and the
impetus which it will give to our trade and commerce in
the Pacific Ocean, will be immense."
Merchants connected with the United States' trade
will be glad to learn, from Washington, that the Secre-
tary of the Treasury has " directed the collectors to sus-
pend the operation of his curtailing circular of a previ-
vious date. The revenue cutters are to be continued in
active service, as heretofore. The expenses attending
the appraisement of merchandise are no longer to be
charged to importer!, and the expenses for weighing,
gauging, and measuring goods are only to be icharged
to the owners of such goods in cases where it is required
that such charge shall be made by Mr. Walker's tariff
law of 1846. Tho compensation of officers of the cus-
tims is to be no longer withheld."
The English Stock Market has for the last three days
been under the influence of speculative rather than of
bona fide dealings, and there is no action as regards
purchases for the reduction of the debt, to give them a
present impetus. There have been also one or two ac-
cidental circumstance; against a rise. Firstly, there
were anticipations of a larger amount of the surplus
revenue being invested in Consols, or Three-and-a-
Quarter per Cents.; secondly, the state of affairs at
Paris has kept alive a little uneasiness, and
the failure of a large operator has induced
greater caution. Lastly, a party connected with the
turf has died within a few days, and is said to have
left open a Bull account of nearly half a million Consols,
which the brokers have since been closing. These are
causes which more than account for the reaction, and
neutralise for the time the influence of the proximate
dividend payments, the influx of specie, &c. We should
note certainly that the Danish loan, though small, has
come at a period when it cacnot but have some weight.
Consols this morning have fluctuated from 951 to 95-a
for Transfer, and from 95a to 954 for Account, being
now about 95i I for the latter. Excl: equer-bills have
been 595. to 635, premium; and East India Bonds 86s.
premium.

In.the Foreign Market the New Danish Scrip is quoted
2to 24 premium. The first payment has to be Made to-
morrow. Spanish Five per Cur ts. are about 161 to 4, the
Three per Cents. 35k. and Portuguese Four per Cents.
33, with very little doing. Brazil Bonds hive been 89;
Mexican are 29a, and Peruvian about 721 to" 73.
Russian Bonds are 106 to 1, and the Scrip 11 premium.
Buenos Ayres are 51 to 514, and Dutch 'l'wo•and-a-
Half per Cents. 55 to .158.
Railway Shares have been neglected fir the most part.
The last v‘eJlt's railway receipts, ascertained up to
this day, aro as under:—

1850. 1849.
North-Western £40,144 15 9 £37,395 7 9
South-Western 8,706 6 0 8,181 2 6
Midland 21,047 6 4 20,233 2 4
South-Eastern

ONE CLOSING
PRIQES OF BRITISH FUNDS O'CLOCK. PRICES.
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities... ..... 95% LA 5.4 95 IX.
3 per Cent. Annuities, 1751 ... 95 95

_
I Ildia Bonds, 1,000/....
Consols for Account 9513i 9554,
India Stock for Account 266 266
-,xcheouer Bills. Nit & 2d
1,000/. June •.. 59 63 :p 63 p
500/. June
Small. June 59 63 p 63 p

ONE CLOSING
PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS. O'CLOCK. PRICES.
Brazilian Bonds B9 89%
Ditto. Account
Ditto, Small
Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 Der Cent.—
Ditto, Account 5l 5134 5114
Chilian Bonds 6 per Cent ....
Do., 3 Per cent ...... ........
Danish Bonds, 1825,3 per Cent.
Ditto 5 per Cent ... —
Ditto, Scrip 2% p
Grenada Bonds, 1% per Cent —
Ditto Deferred
Mexican, 5 por Cent.lB46, with Coupons—
Ditto, Ex Jan. Coupons ...:.
Ditto, Account
Peruvian Bonds, 4 per Cent ...
Ditto Deferred - 27% 28 27%
Portuguese 5 per Cents.
Ditto. 4 per Cent.
Russian Bonds
Ditto Scrip l% p 1% p
Spanish 5 per Cent. 1840 —
Ditto, Account
Ditto. 3 per Cent
Venezuela Bonds, 2VI per Cent
Ditto, Deferred
Dividends on the above payable in London.
French 3 per Cent
Exchange
Dutch 21,E per Cent., 12 Guild. .. 55 55% 55
Ditto. 4 per Cent. Certificates 8614, 864

PRICES CV PAID. BUSINESS DONE CLOSIN
RAI t.WAY SHARES. AT ONE O'CLOCK. PRICES
k berdeen 5O ..... 101/‘ 1114
Caledonian
Ditto, New IC/. Pref... 10
Chester and Holyhead... 50
Ditto, Preference l5 ...... 8
Eastern Counties........ 20 ...... 714 714
Do., New Preference,
6 ner Cent. ..... ..... 10
Cont., No.l 6/. 13s. 4d.... p 34 p
Ditto ditto, No. 2...61. 13s. 4d... % p % p
East Lincolnshire, guar.
6 per Cent.
Great Northern
Do., 1,4 A Deferred ... 1214....., 2'i, 21,4
Do., 5 per Cent. Pref. 12% ...... 10%
Great South. and West.
(Ireland)
'reat North of England 100 ......220
Great Western 100 . 57 57%
Ditto, Fifths..... —... 20
Lanc,.shire& Yorkshire 100
Ditto, ditto . lOO ..... 37 . .87
Do. Fifths
Do. New, Gua.6 per et. 10 ...... 1214 l2
Leeds ana Thirsk ...... 50 ...... 7%. 7%
Lyndon, Brighton, and
South Coast... .....100 ...... 80
London and N Western 100 .....105 105
London & S.Westsrn ..100 ...... 62 63
Do, New 50/. . ....... 42% 23
Jo. New 40/.
11,:ianehaster,Buston,and _ _ .

Matlock 5 - % %
Midland ...... ......... —KO ...... 29% 31
Norfolk 100
North British ........... 25 ..... 834... •• B%
Ditto, Quarters
Ditto, Thirds ........ 8i .. .. ... 3
North Staffordshire ... I.'Nk 6l/2% 6%
Reading, Guildford, and
Reigate
Scottish Central
Shrewsbury and Birn3 13%...... dis ....... .. .. 9 dis
Ditto ditto. Class B 8
_

Ditto, New Guaranteed 8
South Eastern .. 33% 16% x.d
Do., No. 3 .. ...... 30 ...... 15% 15%
Do., Registered No. 4 10
Smith Wales
Wear Valley 6 per Cent.
Guaranteed ... ... ..... 50
Do. do. d 0.... 25
York, Newcastle, and
Berwick..... . 25
... 1334 x.d
Do. Newcastle Eaten, 20
Dc. G.N.E.Preforonc9 0 ... •• /a iS

York and North Midland 50 •• 167 g x.d........ 157,s xd
l) tt.4 Prenrenca ...... 10
FOREIGN RAILWAY'.
Boulogne and Amiens... 20 ......
Luxembourg
Ditto
Northern of France.
Rouen and Havre ...... 20
Tours and Nantes
JOINT STOCK BANKS.
British North American 50
Union of Australia

Union of L0nd0n......... 10 ...... ..... 1178