The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-04 00:00:00

COLONIAL AND FOREIGN PRODUCE.

Sugar.—.lmports continue less than those of last year,
whilst the deliveries for consumption and export ara
greater, and the stock (70,620 tons) is 26,000 tons less than
last year at this time. Refined sugars are steady in value,
but the demand is only moderate. Raw sugar meets a
steady demand.
Coffee.—The imports having been heavy during the last
week or ten days the stock is increased to 18,400 tons
against 14,800 tons last year. There is a moderate de-
mand for good useful qualities, for which steady rates are
paid.
Tea—The auctions of China tea commenced this morn-
ing, 32,0001 b. being on catalogue. The biddings were not
brisk, and prices barely sustained.
Rum.—Tho stock is 2,700 puncheons against 29,500 last
year. The market is dull, without change in prices.
Corn Spirit.— German has advanced is to is 9d.

Rice—The quantity landed last week was heavy, and
increased the stock to 2,080 tons, against 5,600 tons last
year. There is a steady demand for soft grain to arrive.
Saltpetre—The market is quiet, but deliveries are modc-
rate, and stocks light, being 5,800 tons against 8,250 tons
last year.

TALLOW
The market is steady at 44s 9d spot, and 45s 9d last two
months.

THE NEW POEM ASCRIBED TO MILTON.--Visi-
tors to the British Museum who are interested in
the new poem discovered by Professor Morley may
see this now celebrated manuscript and judge for
themselves as to the calligraphy and signature at-
tached to the poem. The book in which it is con-
tained has been made a " select " one, and may be
seen in Case XII. of " Books with Autographs,"
in the King's Library. It is among other cele-
brated autographs, and is placed next a copy of
" Aratus's Phenomena," printed in Paris in 1559,
which contains on the fly-leaf an acknowledged
signature of our great poet, " Jo. Milton."
Mr. Froude, the historian, has become the
tenant of what a correspondent describes as the
" romantic house and sporting grounds " of Dir-
reen, near Tralee, and some days since he enter-
taineil all the children of the local national school
with the mottoes,
go Bragh," &c.,
a"tGaond open-tahire f(eztlele. la"gzin
were carried by the children as they proceeded to
Dirroen. After the athletic sports, Mr. Fronde
briefly addressed his young guests, and presented
prizes to the winners in the different competitions.
The Misses Froude were present.

THE HEALTH OF THE EX-EMPRESS CHARLOTTE.—
The Indepcndance Beige, deprecating the imperti-
nent curiosity which has been manifested in regard
to the private life of the ex-Empress of Mexico,
and stigmatizing
.as pure falsehoods most of the
stories current on the subject, announces in gene-
ral terms that the condition of the unfortunate
Princess has undergone little variation since she set
her foot on her native soil. Her physical strength
is perfectly restored; her intelligence even is often
lucid and complete ; but every now and then in-
explicable eccentricities show that the state of her
mind is yet far from satisfactory.

A FATAL FREAK.—Morecambe Bay, near Lan-
caster, has lately been inundated with excursionists from
the manufacturing districts of Lancashire and Yorkshire,
and a party of weavers from lie:ghley on Monday engaged
a boat fur a row in the bay. On approaching ono of the
buoys in the bay, John Skirrow, ono of the weavere, in bra-
vado, jumped from the boat on to the buoy, which being
in the shape of a barrel, turned over, and the unfortunate
man was drowned in sight of his companions, none of
whom could swim or understood the management of a
boat. The body was recovered an hour or two afterwards,
and the weavers took it to the railway station and actually
tendered the deceased man's return ticket as his passport.
It is needless to say that the company disavowed the
obligation to carry a corpse on the same terms as they
had undertaken to convey the living traveller back to
Yorkshire.
TWELVE HOUSES DESTROYED BY FIRE.--.A fire
occurred on Friday afternoon in Nantwich, Cheshire, by
which 12 houses, a number of stables, and other buildings
we e burnt to the ground. O'Neil, a blacksmith, had been
hooping a wheel, and a spark from the wheel fell on the
thatched roof of the shop, setting it on fire. The fire soon ex-
tended to the adjoining dwelling-houses. Water was not
to be had, the supply to the town being limited. The
townspeople flocked to the spot, but the fire soon spread in
spite of all exertions, and in about two hours no less than
12 dwelling h-:uses were totally gutted, the inmates saving
themselves and a small portion of their furniture and effects
with great difficulty.
STORMS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANC E. —The journals
in the south of France report a succession of terrific thun-
derstorms and rainfalls in that part of the country. The
hailstones in some places were as large as pigeon's eggs.
Much damage was done.
STREET TRAMWAYS FOR LIVERPOOL. —The first
act of Parliament authorising the construction of
street tramways on a scale sufficient to test their adapta-
bility for the omnibus traffic of large towns and cities re-
ceived the Royal assent on Friday last. The act em-
powers the company to lay down and work a lino of tram-
way running from north to south of the borough of
Liverpool, passing through crowded, and, in many in-
stances, narruw streets, wit'a a loop line in the contra of
the town, enabling carriages using the tramway to reach
the Exchange.