The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

The editor of ljhe Oltio, Statesman asl-s the follow- ing .question :-If a fellow has nothing when he gets married, and tbe gal has nothing, ia her thing* fcizeij, or bis things Jraru ?

A RAMBLERS JOTTINGS. ,+- IF any one had taken up the Court 'Newsman during this month, he would have seen it solemnly affirmed that London was "quite empty," that every body was in the country or at the seaside, and nobody—or to put it more explicitly—only the nobodies remained in town. Well, if any one had accompanied me to Putney on the 8th inst., be would have wondered where on earth all the people could come from that crowded the steamers and boats and covered every available spot on the banks of the Thames. Amongst per- sons fond of aquatic pursuits this was the gala day of the year, the competition for the championship of the Thames was about to come off, and the competitors were well-known men who had many friends. The one being a Newcastle man, and the other a London one, it created a kind of rivalry between the metropolis and the North, and the excitement long before the day was very great. It, is now nearly six years ago since the redoubt- able Robert Chambers, a Newcastle man, wrested the .proud riband of the Thames from his opponent and conqueror, Harry Kelly, of Pulham^ which he held until his late defeat. From an early hour of the morning of the race Putney exhibited the usual signs and symptoms indicative of a high festival; flags flaunted from every mast-head, tower, and fk.g-staf? in most picturesque confusion; it seemed as if every availably bit of bunting within the limits of the metropolitan postal delivery had been pressed, into service on the occasion. As the morning advanced the motley crowd mustered in increasing force; Tyne- siders were shoulder to shoulder with the UIl- mistakable cockney "cad," and there were itine- rant vendors of every commodity under the sun, from ginger-bread to electric shocks, &c., whilst roughs, fighting-men, pickpockets, members of the swell mob, some artisans, and a few respectable tradesmen and gentlemen all got huddled together in ^heterogeneous mass, and to make matters worse, the irrepressible nigger" would scream c-.i..t his blatant melody, drowning even the prevailing din of voices, and making the confusion more con- founding. The men were to row from Putney-bridge to Mortlake. The Mite amongst the spectators paid their 10s. and went on board steamers which ac- companied the boats, whilst there were barges moored at certain distances on which persons could take their stand upon paying a certain fee. Again' there were parties ranged on spots which were private property-thus, from Fulham Church to the end of what is called Bishop's-walk, there were numerous groups of ladies decked out in summer dresses of every conceivable hue, whilst, of course, their merry smiles added "enchantment to the view." As your correspondent I "roughed" it, and went with the crowd, hoping to gather something original from what I saw around me; but if I may be pardoned for making this one attempt, I will promise never more to try the experiment, for with all my care, I came,home with a damaged hat and clothes besmeared with something less sweet than eau de Cologne. As the hour appointed for the start drew nigh, the crowd, both afloat and ashore, became momen- tarily more dense and unwieldy. Every available bridge, boat, bank, or wall, was assiduously be- sieged by a struggling mass of eager sight-seers, whose ranks every moment received fresh acces- sions from the ceaseless stream of human traffic which poured continuously from the flood gates of the South-Western down the quaint old High- street of Putney. Now the swell mobsmen and pickpockets carried out their schemes. The former would profess a high position in society, and make bets any way with strangers, so that they posted their money; and many Tyne men deposited their cash uponthese:flash fellows' own representation of honour; but had they won, and applied for their money at the ad- dress given them, they would have found no response. As to the pickpockets, they swarmed, forming themselves into little bands of five, and six, and under pretence of looking for some lost friend in the crowd would jostle their victim, and whilst he was charging one of them with rudeness, the others would be picking his pockets. I saw one Newcastle man looking des- pondingly upon his broken chain, and in a pitiful tone said to his next neighbour, I carried the watch that was attached to this chain for five-and- twenty years, and I would not have lost it for fifty pounds. I never felt it go. It's my opinion they are a queer lot about here." He sought a policeman, but of course did not recovernis lost treasure. Well, rmust not linger on details. The start- ing was fiked for half-past two, and a few minutes before thie time Kelly made; his appearance and paddled to the starting point. He is a fine stalwart fellow, and looked in good condition. The old English hurrahs that greeted him were tre- mendous; but these were outdone when Chambers, a few seconds afterwards, became visible. Then, in Northern dialect, the Tyne men shouted Bravo, Bob Had away, man!" Gan on, Bob! <c. Show them St. Nicholas to-day, my lad! Divvent disgrace awd Harry". (meaning his trainer, Harry Clasper); Show 'em what the North can do," &c. &c. Then the row amongst the betting fraternity (" I'll take odds J" Here, I'll take three to two no one names the winner!" &c.), the chaff of the London boys, the interohang-e of badinage among the wherry men, the hiss and .splash of the steamers, and the mingled strains of harps, fiddles, piccolos, and cornets, each.instru- ment playing a separate tune, and on remarkably foee and independent principles, are things to be remembered. I believe it will be one of the remi- niseencés of my life that I never shall ferget, and yet scarcely think of with pleasure. The papers will tell you it was a gallant contest, and that Chambers' prestige and undoubted skill, ap- proved in many a gallant struggle, made him the pet of, the betting fraternity; but from the first his friends entertained a respectful dread of his opponent, who, in fact, won -the race., by about five or six lengths. It will be tedious to say more concerning this rowing match, because my Teaders will doubtless have seen an account in other columns, but I mjist. observe that the rowing of the two men is very dissimilar Kelly takes short repeated strokes, which he does with elegance and ease, whilst Chambers takes the longest stroke of any man on record; he carries his hands for- ward far ever his toes, and then bends till his back almost touches the boat, which, with one stroke, is impelled several yards. Death has laid his ruthless hand upon a man well known and much respected, though, perhaps, scarcely heard of in the country—I mean Mr. Joseph Parkes. Any one accustomed to walk down Pall-mall or near the Reform Club, could not have failed to meet occasionally a tall old man, rather bent with years, but exhibiting a merry countenance as he turned to look at you. Almost every other man whom he met would stop to speak, and have something particular to say to him. He always seemed to have somebody by the button- hole, and to be engaged in secret conclave. If you asked who the gentleman was, Oh," would be the reply, "it'3 Joe Parkes, of the Beform Club." His nanae was always associatedwith thelatter, although of late years he held no office there, but merely went in and out as an ordinary member. But then he was so good-natured that every one asked his advice and assistance, and he was a thorough practical politician besides. In early life he was | a solicitor in Birmingham, and in" partnership with Mr. Solomon Bray, the first town-clerk of the Birmingham Corporation. At the time of the Birmingham Political Union, Mr. Parkes dis- tinguished himself as the adviser of Mr. Attwood, who was the leader of that movement, and by This means became acquainted with the members of Lord Grey's administration. After this, bis services being considered valuable, he became a political agent for the Whigs, and the Reform Club taking him by the hand, he removed to London in 1832, where he practised as solicitor and Parliamentary agent till about the year 1850, when he was appointed Taxing Master to the Court of Exchequer, an office he held until his death.

OUR CITY ARTICLE. 4. AN opinion, long entertained by a large class of practical thinkers, is daily gaining ground that oar monetary system rests upon too narrow a basis, and that consequently it is too limited in its operations to meet the legitimate wants of our enlarged and constantly enlarging trade and commerce. Our exports have doubled within a very short space of time, and our imports exhibit signs of even greater magnitude and proportion. Population goes on pari passu with our growing wealth and prosperity; and there is no lack of the energy and skill which are required to keep our productive capacity fully up to the mark. Joint- stock ,enterprise, has called into existence an industrial power which is unparalleled in its results, and the repeal of the old law of unlimited liability has stimulated enterprise and speculation to open up fields which before were left barren and neglected. Yet, with all this expansion of our industrial powers, we are mainly confined to a single source for the supply of the means we re- quire to keep them in activity, and are dependent i upon a single body of men who have the power, in a grea,t measure, to determine the price we are to pay for those means. Centralisation is highly inimical to English feeling when! applied to political affairs, but it is tolerated with the utmost, equanimity when money matters are subjected to its rule. Strange to say, we per- mit by law the Bank of England, with its solitary fourteen millions odd of capital, to control the hundreds and thousands of millions of capital em- ployed in our trading and manufacturing callings, but would resent with extreme indignation any interference with our municipal or parochial rights, however trivial and insignificant it might be. We, in short, respect individuality in almost all ur social and political duties, but in the rule and regulation of monetary affairs we submit, it is fairly alleged, to the most contradictory and paralysing monopoly. Without subscribing unreservedly to these views, we must confess that it is a debatable question— whether the Bank of England, with its compara- tively limited capital, and with its multifarious responsibilities, State and otherwise, should have the same directing power over the currency that it had some quarter of a century ago—even as- suming its right of direction at that distant period. The expansion of capital, and its in- creased productive power, by the establishment of new companies; the addition to our industrial force generated by the augmented dividends of the new banks, and the profits earned by the large discount establishments, would imply the necessity of some change, some modification, in the system which presumes to regulate our monetary affairs. Let us illustrate our propo- sition by a few figures, which are the symbols of highly important facts. For example, we may take the banking and discount companies, several of which have but recently sprung into existence. A careful analysis of the share-list shows us that there were for some years established:— No. Nom. Cap. jSanking companies 26 X31,100,000 While the new banks number 47 ■ ^851,000,000 To these must be added the new credit and discount, t "0 companies competing with banks, in so far as they lend money and receive deposits 24 34,150,000 j Augmented competition 71 XS5,750,000 these figures establishaninereaseof 275 per cent. on, the nominal capital employed a few years ago. The premiums, too, on these new companies amount to upwards of XI,0,000,000, a sum almost equal to the whole paid-up capital of the joint stock banks' preceding the recent expansion and development of those establishments; yet the capital of these numerous bankers and discounters is mainly con- trolled by the Board of the Bank of England; and a single turn, on any Thursday, of its well-known H screw," will either augment or diminish the value of that capital, as though the Bank's regu- lator were endued with unerring sagacity, and the most prudent, practical foresight. The recent ad- vance of the rate of interest to 4 per cent, by the Bank, and the comparative torpidity which pre- vails in all monetary circles fully confirm this view of the case. Let us, however, turn from disquisition upon the Bank of England, and the power it at present possesses, to an illustration of the great success which may be obtaiaed under joint-stock manage- ment, despite the adverw influence of the Bank. The iiaJf-yearly meeting of the proprietors of the London and County -Bank has just been held, and StE. account of its stewardship during that period is faithfully given. It appears that-after pay- ment of all charges, interest, to customers, and making ample provision for bad and doubtful debts—the net profits of the bank amount to £ 106,821 3s. Id., which, added to X18,629 12s. 3d., brought forward from the last account, makes a total of £ 125,450 15s. 4d. for appropriation. The directors have accordingly declared the usual dividend of 6 per cent., with a bonus of 9 per sent., making together 15 per cent. for the half- year, which will amount to £ 111,790 8s. 4d., and leave-Xl3,660 7s. to be carried forward to profit and loss account. The Atlantic Telegraph Company, the fluctu- ation of its shares, and the uncertainty of the cable, naturally attract a great deal of attention both within and without what may be termed the speculative world. To speak with brother Jonathan, at the rate of four words per minute, through a medium which lies upwards of two thousand miles under the depths of the Atlantic will be a feat of no ordinary accomplishment. What the poet ^dreamt m the vividness of his brain, the hard-headed mechame has nearly hammered out on the anvil of his mind-he, and not the poet, will, in all probability, be the first to "Waft a sigh from Indus to the Pole." Coming, however, to the < £ s. d. view of things, it is necessary to remark that the company's pre- ference shares at one period fell to 3 discount on £:> shares, but on the receipt of more hopeful news (no news at all) they have recovered to 2| to 2 dis. Telegraph construction shares have re- ceded to I discount. Two of our great railway companies have just had their half-yearly meetings, and have declared dividends, which show some improvement as com- pared with preceding statements. The London and North-Wesrern Bailway stock is officially announced at 6 per cent. per annum, carrying forward a balance of £ 10,711 Is. 6d. The London and Soutb-Western Railway announce a dividend at the rate of 41 per annum, leaving a balance of < £ 746. The London and Blackwall Baiiway stock is also officially announced at the rate f 31 per cent, per^ annum, against 3| for the corresponding period of 1864, The unfavourable half-yearly re- port of the Midland Railway has caused a fell in its stock of fully 1 per cent. The demand for Money remains quiet, though the supply of available capital has been coaeideT- able, and little business has been done 4 per cent., even in the hefit short-dated paper. On the Stock-Exchange the rate for loans is frccaa 3l to 4 per cent,; and the joint-stock and disoamffli houses are allowing the first 3 per cent, deposits, and the latter 3 per cent. on money [t call. The London and Westminster, howew, allows 2 per cent, only on sums below £ 560, Finance and Credit shares show strength. Im- perial Mercantile Credit, 1:1: to f prem.; (leaersd Credit, Ii j London Finance, 63 to f prem.; and Credit Foncier and Mobilier, 3 to -1 prem.; Inter- national, | to 1 prem. Tie shares of Oreread, Gurney, and Co. are 2 to 1 prein.; Three Cent. Consols, 89t. 4

Money Markar. CITY, AUG. 16-0wing chiefly to the more favourable weather, the stock and share markets generally show a firmer tendency to-day. The (le.mand for Money to-day if to a -fair extert, and less disposition is shown to effect trans- actions at 3% per cent., 4 being' charged in most inafcaaec*. The rate in the Stock Exchange for loans from day to <1ri,Y is 3 to -J per cent. Consols are cow quoted 89J to t &r money, and 80| to$for the accouat (Sept. 7). The official business report is as follows :—Three per Cent. Coosot*. fur money, 89 £ £ ditto, for aeconnt, 89^, f; Three Cents. Reduced, 89|, 8», J; New Three per Cent > 89, i; Baa k Stock, 2i9, 250; India Five per Ce Stock; iO-5 and Exchequer BiiU, Is prem., £ i The railway market is rather firmer to-da.y, altho- t settlement, whieh will be completed this afternoon*, tiifi occupies a great deal of attention. Metropolitan stock h&g experienced a somewhat important advance, after allowing for the deduction ot the half-yearly dividend. London North-Western stock is now quoted 122* tqj Great Western, 65.¡¡to i; Midland, 129Jto f; Lancashire and Yorkshire, llfri to f, ex div. South-Eastern, 80i to 81; Metropolitan, ISi to J, ex div. Great Northern, 131 to 132: ditto A, 144 M 145,; London and South-Western. 99^ to 100! 5 Great Eastern -164 to 47 and Ci'ledoniaa, 133} to 134J. MA.TtK-LANE, EsDAY,,ALG. 16.—CURBEWT PBICBI1

ENGLISH. Ter Qr. WHEV'T. S. S, OATS Esx., Knt., rd., 1863 43 to +8 Scotch, feed 18 t.0 2f 1834 43 to 49 Scotch potato 24 to S3 Knt., w., 1863 45 to 54 Irish, white 20 to 25 » » 1864 *7 to 17 i „ black 19 to 34 Norfolk and Lin- BEAUS. colli, red, 1364 43'to 49 Mazag&n 35 -DO 3? Bari.EY. Tick 35 to 36 ,;k Malting to Harrow 38 to 45 1 Distilling- to Pigeon 38 tc tU Grinding to PEAS. MALT. Grey 34 GG Essex,Norfolk,and Maple 3f; to a? Suffolk 53 to 63 White 37- 4$ Kingston andWare 56 to 63 FLOUR. Brown 43 to 52 Town made, per EYE, 2S01bs 37 New to Household. 35 to M OATS. Country 31 50 -3S English,feed. 19 to 28 Norfolk & Suffolk, „ potato 24 to 28 ex ship 36 ic K. FOUR 1 AY. Per Qr. I Per Q- WHNAT. 3. a. OATS. 3. ii. Dantzic and Konigs- j Danish and Swedish 18 u -2J berg 48 to 56 Russian tc 24 Rostock & Mecklen- BEANS. hursr 43 to 50 Danish 34 to 33 Danish 40 to 42 I Egyptian B6 tc 37 Sussian, hard 45 to 47 PEAS. soft 42 to 43 Maple 84 te> 3f American, red 42 to 46 Boilers 36 3g „ white r 46 to 50 INDIAN CORN, BARLEY. I White 2fi "3 Grinding 20 to 24 Yellow 2!) Vs Distilling 24 to 23 PLOUB. Malting to French, per sack 31 to 34 OAXS. Spanish, „ 32 to 34 Dutch, brew 13 to 23, American, per barrel 23 to m »i 17 to 20 Canadian 22 •¥> LIVERPOOL, LLG, 15 ~^ne market well attended. vV heat inactive aemaaa, ooth for consumption and specula tion, at an advance of fully 3d since Friday. Flour, French Is to Is 6d dearer, and a good bu-iness done. Indian corn market cleared ct mixed at 32s; Galatz, 33«. Beans oat, and oatmeal very firm.

TALLOW, AUG. 16.—The market ia firm; pricey are otiotea; as follows1Town tallow, 43s 3d, net cash; Petersburg Y.C., on the spot, 43s 3d to 43s 6d; October to December, 43s 9d to 44s; December, 44s 3d to 44s 6d January to March, 44s 9d; March, 45e 3d. HOPS, BOROUGH, AUG. 16.—Messrs. Pattenden and Snutfc report no alteration since Monday last. COTTON, LIVERPOOL, AUG. 16.—Rather better demUDa at yesterday's prices. Sales about 8,000 bales. EGGS, AUGUST 14.-Supply of Eggs not much to exoess Of demand, and prices range for English, Scotch, and Irish" o ■Preach» 'k 6d to 4s 8d; large 6s 4d to 120 pan 53 5a ancl 0-tend, 6s 2d to 6g 8d pe POULTRY, AUG, 14.—Trade rather slack for Poultry anS supply has further increased: rates for geese are 5?^7s eacn; gosimgs, 4s 6d to 6s 6d; fowls, 2s 9d to 3e chfcken^ Is 9d to JS ducklings, 2s to 3s tame rabbits, Is 3d to Is 8d; dozen13' aac*live fow^3 an< ducks at 22s to 24s per FRUIT AND VEGETABLES, COVENT Tegetables continue abundant and good. What is termed soft fruit is scarce. For pineapples and grapes there is a. heavy sale. Apples and plums are beginning tQ come in abundance. Kent filberts continue to make theis appearance. French beans are exceedingly good and very plentiful. Good kidney potatoes fetch from Is Qil to 2s Od per dozen pounds. Flowers ehiefly consist of orchids, heaths, pelargoniums, carnations and picotees, mignonette, and roses. Pine-apples, per lb., 3s to 5e; Grapes, per lb., 3s to 6s; Peaches, per doz., 6s to lOB; Nectarines, do., 4s to Ss: Apricots (French), do., Is 6r1 to 3s; Figs, do., 2s to 4s; Strawberries, per lb., 19 to Is 66, Apples, per sieve, Is Od to 2s; Oranges, per 100,14s to 2k6 Lemons, per 100 8s to 14s; Nuts, COD, per 1001b,. 50s to OCs- Brazil, per bushel, 18s; Almonds, do., 18s to 20s; Cabbages" per doz., Is 6d to 2s 6d; Frenoh Beans, per half sieve. 2s to 3s; Peas,, per sieve, 2s to 4s;, Potatoes, York Re- gents, per ton, 90s to 100s; Rocks, ditto, 60s to 70s- Flukes, ditto, 110 to 140; new, round, 8s to 12s ner cwt. ditto, Kidneys, 8s to 12s per owt.; Carrot* bunch, 6d to 8d; Carrots, new, per bunch, Is Turning bunch, 4d to 6d} Cucumbers, each,6d to Is Beeh rJCA-tT* Is 6d to 2s; Shallots, per lb., 8d; Garlic, Mr lh Lettuces, per doz Is Od; Endive, per score la o'a/S'! Artichokes, per doz., Is 6d to 3s; Horseradish ner bunfll- Is to 4s; Mushrooms, per pott., Is to Is fid doz. bunches, 2s to 4s.; Herbs, per bunch, 6d.' 1>er Cattle Market,

METROPOLITAN, AUSDST 14 Wo x. of beasts, but the average nnali^ JVt. aye ferior; consequently there is ^t^-e suPP^ ia very m- price1 of cboice descriptions Tho c ?h reduction. ;in the shorter than on Mondav W K 2 f,"pp,ly 01 18 rt^the* good: and nrica^ wo ut tbe demand is scarcely &s IT,' at loCr ^es 'S.oii^'T63- LambVe^ From PTp«mo^ ,yil01ce calves are rafcher dearer. sheS nd HoUaad there are 4,000 beasts, 12,830 25'heLf^' a?Td P^ Spain, 60heasts j Scotlard, the^'CS .?.orfolk and Suffolk, 140; and. 1,520 frox^ orthern and Midland Counties. Roof a ? of 81bs. s. d. s. d. Per stone of 81bs. e. C. s, t Best Scots, Hfd3. 5 2 5 4 Best Long-wools 0 G C fi Best Short-honip 4 8 5 2 Do. do. shorn 5 6 5 lft «iid. qual. beasts 2 8 3 8 Ewes & 2d. qoal. 0 0 0 ft 'ves 3 8 5 6 Do. do. shorn. 4 0 5ft Pigs .S 0 4 8 Lambs „ e « p o BestDna&bdSB. 0 0 0 0 45 Beasts atmarket, 6,320; Sheep and Lambs, 25.51C • (J¡¡Jv6ri 248; Pigs, 270. 1

The Produce Market. MINCING-LANE, AUGUST 14.-Suga.r: The refiners grocers are not; much disposed to do business thpr« several arrivals, and the market being freely eunnlif 11>°- currency has again rather fallen, and stock in bond aHr port has been increased to 103,000 tons. Barbadoes is 29s to 36s 6d; Mauritius, brown oAl;e, yellow, 31s to 34s; grainy, 33s 6d to 40s^■ oi»„J:OJ0s.6d f 29s to 29s 6d; ditto unclayed, 26s to 22a M xl MamlJa> brown, 29s to 31s; yellow, 31s 6d to 36* • WK? 5,avannaJ;)» 39s; white, 40s to 42s; Natal, 379 t0 34s; and Sugar for brewing purposes 2KayV o 6(1 t0 cwt. Flatness still prevails in tL „to 28s per trade: rates for brown lumps 42s • re»ned Sugar 42s 3d to 45s tittlers, 42s 3d to' 47Q I to grocery, pieces, 32s to 37s 6d; and bastard!, 9« 393 to 41s; Coffee still on the increase native p'* ?S 30s-—1Stock of at 65s to 72s, and fine, 73s to 7^o ylcin much in demand for plantation, and the n,rmn„ qUIet ,marinet) lowew' low midd. selling at 78s tofi, T li fi°e ord to 81s to 100s T)pma.,i ofiii » an<l midd. to superior, realised, being, fox red Trinidad 'fir f°r 1<?j?coa' tersua to f;5q _L A!+v>rv 1, mniaaa, 663 to 116s; and grey, 62s limited business withr!e!leraeafaf,Ce1. Te* °niy a low terms • th^ -n selIe.rs of bla-ck and green at previous this season" v again be heavy imports from China at 2^d Tp, fi*1?68 no\murjh required: black Pepper olfers cherrv T,kite' 5d to ditto XeiL- cnerry, 6„d to Is; Pimento, 2|d to 2|: Ceylon p;r,. 1 arnon, ls 4d to 3s; Cochin Ginger, 60s to 31b- ami Bengal, 2bs 6d to. 27s 6d.—A free sale for Provisions Irish Butter, as to quality, brings 96s to 118s; fine Freizlanr1 114,* to lies; French, common to fine, 84s to 110s bl.trd f ^2s to 124s; Devon, 114s to 116s; Irish Bricon 70s German, 70s to 74s; and Amedcaa, 57. to (or fme Jute at £ 22 to £ 2310s: other qualities M K? —-Silk further depressed in value, arrivals beinsr J-UV P of China, as -to quality, at 18s to 32s, and Japarfl^fo 323 The value of Sperm Oil is £ S3 to £ Q0; palfseal £ 40 L^l S.e,eC!' IIs' -E>alra> 36s 64 to 37s; foreign refined Rape- seea, 47s and Drown, 4^3 to 44s 6d.—Prices far Snp..r £ 22 bo £ 22 5s; Scotch Pi- I>W lor 5»pel.^r are numbers; and Straits Tin. t tn .«.% R.i'V.n'.C "=' -"<