The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-01 00:00:00

Do 8 por Cent., 1867
4ouador New Consolidated, 1 per Cent —
11gyptian, 7 per Cent —
Do. Se;•oAd Issue BOl
Do. £5OO Bonds
Do. £lOO Bonds -821
Do. 1864,
Do. £590 Bonds B2 3
Do. £lOO Bonds . • 841 31
Government Railway Debenture, . ... --

Greek, 5 per Cent., 182115, ex Coups —
Do. Account , ..
. Do. Coupons
Do. Account
... ---
G.latemala 5 per Cent . —
Honduras Gov. Rail. Loan., 10p. Ct., .£25 p
It tnan 5 per Cent., 1165 —
Do. Account .
Do: Marerunartna liatway —
51.“.-ivnr. 3 per Cent ...
Ditto for Account
Dn. 1864 94
Do 6 per Cont. Anglo-French —
Montevidean 6 per Cent. .. —
Moorish imperial 5 per Cent —
New Granada l3l.
Do 3 per Cen 341
Do. Deferr3d
Do Luau Warrants (Hectares) - -
Per !vim:. 5 per Cent. .1865
Do Account , 7_,-1 0
Do ti per Cent. (Uriharren) --
Do 1; per Cent., It 62 - -- --
Do Account
Portuguese 3 per Ct.,1853, '6, '7, '9,'60,'2,'i, Stti
Do. do., 1 67
. Do. do., Scrip, £lO paid —
Russian 5 per Cent., Itt,z, £ St —
Do 4i pel• Cent. 1850
Do 4i per Cent., 1860 -

Do 81er Cent., 1839
Do 5 per Cent., 1562
1/o. Anglo-Dutch, 1861, £lOO BoudE.,
Do. do. £B4 15s. d 0...,
Do., 1866, £lOO Bonds
Do. do. £B4 15s. do —
Sardinian, 5 per Cent —
Spanish 8 per Cen . —
Do Account
Do New Deferrea
Do Account
Do Passive —
Do Ace. ant
Do Com. Cort. of Coup. not funded
Do Account
Tuelcish 6 pen Cent. —
Do Account
Do 6 per Cent. 1858
Do Account
Do £lOO Bonds 67
Do 6 per Cent., 1862
Do Account
Do .£IOC Bonds
Do. 1863
Do 5 per Cent., 1865
Do Account
Do 6 per Cent., 1865
Do 4 per Cent., Guaranteed
Venezuela, 3 per Cent. —
Do 6 per Cent., 1862
Do 6 per Cent. 1864
Do. 4 per Cent. Certificates —
Dividends on the above payable in London.
French Routes, 3 per Cent., Ex. 23f. —
Austrun o par Cent. Ex 10 Florins
Belgian, q per cent., Ex. 25f.
Dutch 2i per Cont. .x. 12 GO „
Da Account —
Italian 5 per Cont. 1861, E. 25f.
Do. Account 491 1 1
CLOSING PRICES.

66}

3441 31 41;
57.1

Consols, Money
Do. Account, March .. 92k 3

TIDE COLISSEUM AT ROME.

The following beautiful description of the Colis-
sewn is taken froin a recently published book of
travels, written by William Smith, jun.:—.

On the very spot where we stood, how many thousands
had been "butchered to make a Roman holiday." Around
us rose the vast amphitheatre which, 1,800 years ago, was
occupied almost daily by countless thousands, anxious to
witness the exciting spectacle which ferocious combats
between man and beast could furnish. A short description
of this immense ruin cannot fail to be interesting to my
readers. The Colisseum was built by the Eniperor Flavius
Vespasianus on his return from the war in Judea, on the spot
occupied by ponds in the gardens of Nero, and nearly in
the centre of Ancient Rome. It was dedicated by Titus,
and the games celebrated at its dedication lasted 100 days,
during which 5,000 wild beasts and several thousand
gladiators were killed. The form of the Amphitheatre
is oval ; its height 52 yards, and its circumference out-
side, 550 yards, but to obtain 3 correct idea of its size,
it is necessary to ascend the first or second
story of the porticoes. The arena, so called from
the sand that covered the ground, had ono princi-
pal entrance to the east, the other t,.) the west, and formed
an ellipsis of two hundred and eighty-five feet long, one
hundred and eighty-two wide, and seven hundred ind
forty-eight in circumference. It was surrounded by a wall
to prevent the beasts from rushing on the spectators: by
doors and passages closed with bars of bronze ; through
these passed the gladiators and animals. Above the
arena rose the seats for the audience, on which
there was room sufficient for 87,000 persons, and on the
terrace for 20,000 persons. On the outside walls in the
cornice of the building were beams covered with bronze,
to which was attached the awning that sheltered the spec-
tators from the rays of the sun.
A solemn stillness pervaded the place, and for a con-
siderable time we stood and gazed upon the stupendous
edifice, with its arch upon arch, seat above seat, its ruined
corridors and lofty walls, and realised the truth of Byron's

,ines

A ruin—yet what a ruin ! from its mass
Walls, palaces, half-cities have been reared;
Yet oft the enorincus skeleton ye pass
And marvel where the spoil could have appeared.

In the centre of the arena stands a large black wooden
cross, planted in the very soil which once had been
deluged with the blood of Christian martyrs. A
notice is affixed to this cross, which interpreted, reads
thus :—" Whoever kisses tjiis cross shall obtain ab-
solution for the sins of two hundred days." Several
peasant females and one or two children came up, whilst
wo were endeavouring to decipher the inscription, and
reverently kissing the wooden symbol departed with an
air of self-satisfaction. Having found the custodian of
the place, wo made known our desire to explore the build-
ing more fully. He readily accompanied us until we had
climbed to the highest accessible point. It was a never-
to-be-forgotton ramble. As wo ascended wo found that it
was only from such an elevated position that we obtained
a correct impression of the colossal size of the ruin. Ever
and anon we paused to look over the city itself and away
into the country beyond. Here And there, whore the re-
lentless hand of time has removed vast masses of tho ori-
ginal structure, Nature has filled up the chasms, and where
once the rank and fashion of Rome, as represented by its
noble dames, gazed upon the scones in the arena, flowers
of varions kinds and rich tufts of verdure spring up.
The whole ruin is overgrown with grasses, wild
flowers, and shrubs, springing up everywhere from out of
the yawning crevices, creeping up the broken arches, and
presenting a rare scene of varied and beautiful vegetation.
Naturalists have counted nearly 300 plants of diffei en t orders,
which assist to decorate the ruins of the vast pile. Our steps
were continually arrested by now views of the ruins, and ere
we had finished our surveywe were satisfiedthat even inllome
itself we should fail to find any other object of equal sub-
limity. And yet nothing that we afterwards saw pro-
duced within us so sad a feeling when we remembered the
terrible history connected with this one unrivalled build-
ing. Beautifully has Dickens embodied what I mean,
when he writes of the Colisseum, "Its solitude, its awful
beauty, and its utter desolation, strike upon the stranger
like a softened sorrow, and never in his life, perhaps,
will he 'be so moved and overcome by any sight
not immediately connected with his own affections
and afflictions. It is the most impressive, the most
stately, the most solemn, grand, majestic, mournful sight
conceivable. Never, in its bloodiest prime, cln the sight
of the gigantic Colisseum, full and running over with the
lustiest life, have moved one heart, as it must move all
who look upon it now, a ruin—God be thanked a ruin."

MARKETS—(This Day.)

CORN.

The tone of the trade is firm.
From the country markets the reports bring full prices,
to is advance for wheats.

From Paris the reports were rather better.
At Mark-lane this morning there was a moderate at-
tendance, and the trade opened quiet, but with prices well
maintained. _

Very little English wheat fresh up, and taken off on fully
Monday's advance.
Fair supplies of foreign on offer, and purchases made
sparingly, but rates steady.
Two floating cargoes sold off the coast yesterday. Fine
Odessa Gherka at GBs 6d, and Marianoplo at 60s 3d por
4921 b, c, f, and i. Only 14 cargoes now remain on sale.
There have been no fresh arrivals.
There is no alteration in the value of flour.
Malting barley continues firm. Grinding sorts sell at
occasionally easier rates.
Beans and peas tend against buyers.
In addition to the arrivals reported at port, a stammer is
in this morning with about 2,000 qrs. of Swedish, but the
quantity on stands is much reduced, and prices are firm
with a steady sale.
Maize is quiet without quotable change in value.
TALLOW.

The market is steady, at 43s 6d to 43s 9d spot; 43s 6d
43s 9d April to June, 43s 9d to 4ls June, and 44s 9d last
three months.

Cochineal—Public sales, offering a good assortment o
Tonoriffe grain, have opened with a good demand. Silven
realised very full prices, blacks selling rather dearer.
COTTON.

LIVERPOOL, April 1. —Market active and advsncing
Sales_probably 25,000 bales or more.

CROOK HUNT STEEPLECHASE. This local meeting i
fixed to be held on Monday, May 11. The stakes, amount-
ing to upwards of 80 sovs, are the same as last year." The
committee have been successful in obtaining a new course,
which, while near the town, is much better adapted for
steeplechase purposes, and will be found to be inferior to
few in the north of