COMMERCIAL.

Wellington Independent, 19 January 1860, Page 1 (Supplement)

COMMERCIAL.

The insurances on the gold by the ' Royal Charter' were settled on the 7th November. The underwriters ask 40 per cent, fur the uninsured portion of the gold. The number of sovereigns brought by her is much smaller than has beeu previously reported — the total being only 49, 150. London Wool Hep jbt. — The List series of j sales for this year coai nenced ou the ienth November, and the quantities announced for sale consisted of 9073 bales Australian, 4756 bales Port Phillip, 1939 bales Van Diunen's Land, 332 Adelaide, 2897 bales New Zet'and, 18,614 bales Cape : total, 37, 59 i bales. About a fortnight prior to the opening of the sales, the accounts from the North were not of so satisfactory a character as might have been anticipated from the large business which -during the last six months has been done in the districts. Confidence had been shaken in a manner scarcely to be accounted for, aid the anticipations generally entertained of a fulj rise of one peony per pound were not realised. The advance can only be quoted oi:e half penny to one penny, the litter hi full bjdied wooL 1 , while inferior and moaty Sydney can only be quoted in favour of the sellsr. The sales have progressed so far with the same tone and rates as established at the opening; but yesterday buyers talked more freely of 'their views, and the disquietude they experienced at the present sate of feeling in France. So sensative is our maiket to any feeling thatmiy deprive us of the support of ontinental buyer* putting the question of war aside, that v decline would at once be established if our buyers did not anticipate, during the sales a good competition for foreign account. sio'oks m their hands are knuwn to be very low Although the attendance of foreigners is small they are buying freely.— Home News, 2V-> ( , 18 British exports show very heavy shipments to Melboure and Sydney. To Melbourne and Geelong we have twenty two clearances, and almost every article is greatly in excess of fhe' previous month. Soft goods are especially •H Vy /v aQdy is mod eraU> when compared with the same month last year, but both Geneva and Bum have beeu largely shipped. Bfjt.su spmts are about even with the average oftheyea£ The Ealing Grove has sailed lor Portland Bay with an average cargo. To Sydney we report 10 vessels sailing-8 from IJJ. don, 2 from Liverpool. With the exception of brandy, the export of which is moderate, and British spirits, which, do not reach Wo rial tbi3P ° rtaredeciile 4 in

Monky Market. — City, Thursday evening, November 17. — The still unsettled positk>n of affairs in Italy contributes to keep up a feeling of uncertainty. Both in the Londou and Paris market, notwithstanding the satisfaction inspired by the favourable termination of the Zurich Congress, bona fide holders appeared to be very averse to selling, but in speculative circles an adverse impression is still observable. There is still an active demand for money, and the appearance of the market is not quite so settled as of lute, neither are the terms equally uniform. Transactions take place occasionally in short bills at 2f , but these appear to be quite exceptional ; at 2\ being the minimum in most quarters, while many houses ask 2& and 3s. A great rise has taken place in the Bank of New South Wales, in response to the movement at Sybney. At the date of the arrival of last mail the price was about 50 — it is now sf> to 57. The committee of the six binlcs appointed to negotiate the Victorian llailway 6 per cent debentures loan of 1857, opened its tenders on the 24th of October, £1-2:3,(500, bei-.ig the second instalment of that loan. Mr. Donald Laniach, chairman of the committee. The total of the teuders amounted to£!,Bt>o,7oo; of which £723,000 was at prices above 108, the minimum decided upon the committee. The highest bid was £14,500 at 109; and the lowest, one for £200, at par. There were two tenders at 9~£ and 98, which were stated to be in error for 107^- and 108 ; but an applicition for the errection could be entertained. The bulk of the loa.t has bacn taken at and above 103^ ; iieavly £(500,000 was from lO7£ to 103. The lirst issue of these debentures was made in January. £100,000 was taken at and above 107; the minimum price was then raised to 108, and since that there are some £200,000 or £300,000, which is believed to have been sold by the agents of the Stock Exchange. The total to hs replaced each year during the next three years is nearly £2,000,000.