The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-23 00:00:00

ELECTION OF COMMON COUN-
CILMEN.
WARD OF FARRINGDON WITHOUT.

SECOND DAY.
The wardmote assembled yesterday morning at
eleven o'clock.
Sir J. Duke, at four o'clock, declared the numbers
to be as follow, viz :—for
*Mr. Obbard.. . " 236 Mr. Anderton 177
*Mr. Bedford
*Mr. Burn
*Mr. Stokes o'24 Mr. Charles 146
*Mr. Edkins . .20, Mr. Pearce . 145
*Mr. Sidney.
*Mr. Hodgson 204 Mr. Gresham 126
Mr. Williams .. • 203 Mr. Woollatt . 126
Mr. "%Aiken . . 1981 Mr. Prendergast lO3
Mr. Barnard lB9. Mr. Wells 24
* These seven gentlemen are Conservatives
After a desultory discussion, the wardmote ad-
journed to this mornint at ten precisely, when the poll
will be renewed, and finally close at two o'clock.

WARD OF FARRINGDON WITHIN.
The numbers at the close of the poll yesterday were
announced by Mr. Warren, the ward clerk, to be as
follow :
Mr. Pritchard, Dep...118 Mr. Vertue ... 82
Mr. Westwood, Dep..llB Mr. Eagleton
Mr. H01t........100 Mr. Hayward 79
Mr. Ridley
Mr. Asburst.
Mr. Hartley 94 *Altr'ilk.l'Lauchian..,,,,,'7o
Mr. Bonser ... 92 Mr. Rutter . 70
Mr. Taylor
At the close of the poll this day, at three o'clock,
14 of the above gentlemen will be elected.
BISHOPSGATE WARD.
The polling in this ward commenced' with greet
spirit, and the following was the state of the poll at
the close :

Mr. Pilcher lO4
Mr. Peacock . 110
Mr. Stevens
Mr. Bennett
Mr. Tagg
Mr. Wilkinson
Mr. Tozer 97
Mr. Johnson 97

Mr. Jones
*Mr. Askley
Mr. Patten
Mr. Thomas
Mr. Cain
Mr. Hall BB
Mr. Welch

QUEENHIr
Mr. Acocks 2l
Mr. Tyler
Mr. Curtis
Mr. Goss .
The polling will be res
day.

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.
FROM Tns MORNING PAPERS OF 'THIS DAY.
CITY,' THURSDAY EVENING.
TIMES.—Many Correspondents are urging atten-
tion at this time to the practice of giving Christmas-
boxes to the clerks of private bankers, which they de-
signate as one of those abuses winked at and per-
mitted because it is of long standing, but having no
other ground to rest upon. That the principle is a
bad one will be readily assented to, since no other
trade or profession can be named, with the exception,
perhaps, of barristers, the employes of which are re-
gularly paid by their customers,- and there are altered
circumstances at this time' with regard to the trade
of banking generally which make it a proper time for
the revision of this custom, and to put it, like all
other matters of the kind, to the test of reason and
good sense. In ordinary cases where new establish-
ments are opened in any trade, they are always found
ready enough to adopt the customs they find in use,
but not one instance has occurred among the joint-
stock banks in which this practice has been adopted;
on the contrary, it has been expressly forbidden,
though there might be much stronger reasons among
them for availing themselves of that assistance, as
their general profits are much diminished by the pay-
ment of interest upon deposits. We do not mean to
express any approbation of this practice of paying
interest by the joint-stock banks, but looking to the
competition in the trade, and the situation of the cus-
tomers under each system of banking, it is a material
ingredient in the question, which private banks wouli_i,
to consider. It all-The railway esttifilislirl
ments, and, in fact, in all public undertakings where
the parties have to start anew, unfettered by old
habits and prejudices, a dead set is invariably made at
this practice of gratuities to servants, as-alike injurious
to them and to the service they have to perform. It
is not intended for an instant to contend that good
and faithful service should not be well and liberally
remunerated, but only that this is an improper mode
of supplying such remuneration.
The public, probably, have never fully considered
to how large a sum the gratuities to the clerks of pri-
vate bankers amount in the aggregate. - Few bankers
of high standing have less than a thousand depositors,
many of them a eonsiderably.greater number; and as
the gratuities, seldom less than two guineas, often
amount to 10 or 15 guineas, the sum total thence de-
rived may be often as much as 4,0001. or 5,0001. We
do not mean to question the rate at which the services
of bankers' clerks are remunerated, nor to state it as
a reproach, under the competition which exists for
such employment, that the principals do not pay any
higher salaries than they can help ; but we have a
strong persuasion that cases would be met with in the
cities of London and Westminster; where no exten-
sive connection with country banks exists, in which
the " Christmas-boxes" would prove more, than suffi-
cient to pay the whole of the salaries of the clerks.
Is it too delicate a question to ask what becomes of
the surplus ? • •
We have, indeed, •heard it affirmed, but make the
statement with Considerable doubt and hesitation, that
there are bankinr, houses who make these gratuities
a part of the regular profits of the firm, and do-not
divide them among their clerks at all. This, if true,
would be a much stronger reason than any yet given
for the discontinuance of the system, and it would be
much better and more honourable for the bankers to
make a distinct charge rateably, for the trouble of
keeping each account, than to take that remuneration
under the cover of that ancient and venerable cus-
tom. If they really do not apportion them among
their clerks, but take nein into consideration in
settling their various salaries, it comes, by another
mode, to nearly the same thing. But in any case; it
is not less an abuse, and founded altogether on a false
principle. • •
It will be said, of course, 'which is the only sha-
dow of an excuse for it, that the gift is entirely a
voluntary One, and that it is perfectly optional to all
to bestow it or not; but every one knows how diffi-
cult it is in all such cases to bear the imputation of
acting meanly compared with others in the sable
Clam. of banking depositors, and we hayle at this mo-
ment the letter of a correspondent, who adverts to
" the hard case of pOor tradesme% being called upon
by the clerks of private banking-houses to pay them
Christmas-boxes, and even importuned in an abrupt
manner if delayed for a few days past Christmas."
Consols labour under continued depression. Busi-
ness in the market is slack, with an evident disincli-
nation to deal. The speculators are completely at a
stand, being deterred by the sombre prospect of af-
fairs in the Peninsula.
Tweed •
The Jamaica papers by the give a few facts
relative to the state of that island, but otherwise the
arrival presents little of interest. The Legislature at
Kingston was in full debate upon questions connected
with the future administration of affairs, and among
them were two of some importance to the parties
locally concerned ; one measure providing the levy of
a tax upon sugar and coffee consumed in the island;
the other, the passing of the New Stamp Act, both
with the ultimate view of increasing the revenue. The
conduct of the Earl of Elgin in his public capacity of
Governor is alluded to in highly complimentary terms
by the journalists. The most prominent movement
the mercantile interest had mane was the request in
the House of Assembly for the appointment of a com-
mittee to prepare a memorial addressed to the Queen,
praying for protection to sugar by means of a differ-
ential duty. A Committee was appointed to consider
the question generally. The wholesale importers of
British manufactures had also applied for an increase
of protective duties, the competition of the foreign
trader, besides destroying the prospects of that class of
dealers, draining the island of its specie, as, instead of
purchasing their produce in exchange for what they
themselves sell, they always take in their return
cargoes at the slave-labour countries. ,
POST.—The funds continue to be acted upon by
political considerations, the Spanish question being
still uppermost in the public mind. The fluctuations
are, however, of so little importance as to prove that
the feeling indulged at Paris is, in comparison, but
slightly participated in here. At the Bourse there
has been another decline of one per cent. in, the rentes;
but in the London market, the change has been re-
sponded to to the extent of no more than about + per
cent., nor was even this produced by any want of
confidence, as exhibited beyond the purlieus of Capel-
court, the operations being confined to the more
ppeculative class of jobbers themselves.
Money, for Stock Exchange purposes, remains low,
'and is, in fact, considered unprecedentedly so for the
:time of the year. Loans, on the deposit of English
,stock and Exchequer bills, are obtained, for long
periods, at from 11 to 2+ per cent.
SUN.—Our Market for Stocks closed rather better
this afternoon, and parties here have more confidence
!than in Paris. Money continues easy, but is, notwith-
,standing, in rather greater request than up to the last
month, Christmas time being generally reckoned an
absorber of the loose capital lying idle in the market,
as mercantile men have their books to wind up. Con-
sols for the opening were marked 93k to 93i, closing
buyers at the latter quotation. Reduced Three-and-a-
Half per Cents. brought looi to • lin* ; and the Three
per Cents., 94 to 944. Long Annuities were 121 to
12 9-16ths. Exchequer Bills were steady at 495. to
51s. premium, and India Bonds at 445. premium.
The dealings in the Foreign Market have been cir-
cumscribed, and speculators lack spirit just now.
Portuguese Stock has been most in request, and
wears a somewhat firmer appearance, while the news
from Brazil of an intention to allow the present
treaty of commerce to run on till the year 1844
without any opposition, gave a tone to the market for
that security. The Five per Cent. Spanish Bonds
have been dull at 18f to 184; and the Threes at 23i
to 234. Portuguese New Five per Cents. brought
38i for Account, and the Converted• realised 314 arid
31k. Mexican Stock did not fluctuate beyond 311
and 31i ; Colombian was at 21;18, and Buenos Ayres
at 24 to 244. Old Brazil Stock was rather better,
being 681 to 694. Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents.
were marked 521 to 521, and Danish Bonds 84 to 841.
There was a slight increase of business this after-
noon in the Railway Shares, but the quotations did
not improve. Edinburgh and Glasgow were Vi ;
Midland Counties, 40 ; South Eastern, 281 ; and the
Scrip, 3-1 discount. Great Western Tew were 144 ;
Birmingham Thirds, 314 ; Northern and Eastern
Scrip, 41 ; and York and North Midland, 43 prem.
Colonial Bank Shares were 5 to 51- discount; and
London and Westminster, 14 to 1 premium.
Letters and papers received to-day from Rio de
Janeiro state • that the discussion of the Brazil
question, as it appeared in The Sun, had attracted a
good 'deal of attention there, and a journal of that
city alludes at some length to the circumstance, as an
evidence of the increasing interest felt in London •in
connexion with the affairs of Brazil.

TUE CRops.—Owing to the long-continued dry
weather, in the autumn, the breadth of land sown
with, wheat is unusually large, and as the weather
since the grain has sprouted has been damp and warm,
the young wheats are very forward, and in most in-
stances looking remarkably fine,—.Worcester Chronicle.