Date. Feb. 8,... 44 15,.. 22,... 29,... Mar. 7,... Mar. 14,... 66 21,... 29,. April 4,.. Due Due from banks. 2,461,873 Loans. Specio. Circulation. Deposits. to banks. 34,146,677 4,162,671 2,066,069 31,033,030 4,080,059 34,590,880 4,102,748 2,069,061 29,911,704 4.322,609 2,080,750 85,059,676 4,102,588 2,119,488 30,783,741 4,463,751 2,099,778 35,519,704 4,102,848 2,167,348 31,435,753 4,837,264 2,114,227 35,913,334 4,102,632 2,208,492 31,712,547 5,523,316 2,116,042 35,956,678 4,099,707 2,308,250 32,511,405 5,508,146 2,333,819 36,412,923 4,099,664 2,340,132 32,835,038 6,933,974 2,428,227 36,695,415 4,096,401 2,357,768 33,156,496 5,791,191 2,724,935 37,262,220 4,095,495 2,390,092 84,404,607 5,641,638 3,425,805 87,032,110 4,093,461 2,379,827 35,958,444 5,855,277 3,799,151 39,535,334 4,095,387 2,329,590 38,174,046 5,748,257 3,291,176 39,570,567 4,095,475 2,253,386 37,893,247 6,067,966 2,592,465 89,770,436 3,972 349 2,241,885 37,758,836 6,374,531 2,780,540 39,639,436 3,967,268 2,152,827 37,466,311 6,636,576 2,786,080 2,131,919 37,638,814 6,580,548 2,853,894 39,639,436 3,967,263 2,152,827 37,466,311 6,636,576 2,786,080 39,262,695 3,964,522 2,131,919 37,638,814 39,723,493 3,694.320 2,100,927 38,249,800 40,286,433 8,964,758 2,077,753 38,367,171 40,286,488 3,964,529 2,074,273 37,588,203 6,403,664 2,998,548 42,057,758 8,963,640 2,092,470 39,122,865 6,544,668 3,139,182 40,918,009 3,955,836 2,154,258 37,945,305 6,225,952 4,325,450 40,717,527 3,949,105 2,887,651 37,812,423 6,197,570 4,658,667 40,731,324 3,948,440 2,208,068 36,462,271 6,189,843 3,616,992 66 26,... 42,057,758 3,963,640 2,092,470 39,122,865 6,544,668 3,139,132 66 46 11,... 18,... 46 25,... May 2,... 66 9,... 16,... 39,262,695 3,964,522 23,.. 80,... June 7,... 66 14,... 21,... 66 27,... July 4,. 66 11,... 18,... 6,580,548 2,858,894 5,993,116 3,186,259 5,930,707 3,007,283 The returns of the Bank of England continue to show an increasing ease in the state of money, not only in England, but on the continent of Europe also. The Bank has greatly increased in strength, and the rate for money had a downward tendency. The shipments of gold, indeed, from England to distant countries, in payment of the unusual amount of material imported, is large, but the supply of the metals sets with a deeper current towards England. The following table shows the total shipments of gold and silver from Great Britain, and Mediterranean ports, by the Indian steamers of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, during the first six months of the present year: This is, in round numbers, $50,000,000 in six months, yet the supply seems rather enhanced than otherwise. The following tabular statement shows the mining population and production of the Victoria gold fields, from the year of discovery to the end of 1863: If the gold leaves England for raw produce, at high prices, that produce is converted into goods at correspondingly high rates, and these are sold to producers of gold, thus swelling the supply by the same means. The imports and exports into and from France, for the first five months of 1864, were as follows: Taking the silver exports from the gold imports, it will appear that in the first five months of the present year the stock of precious metals increased by £1,124,573 in France. As to the amount sent to the East, it was £1,325,220 in gold and £96,368 in silver for Egypt; £3,377,880 in silver for British India, and £141,624 in the last metal for China. In the whole, £4,941,092. The East thus continues a heavy drain upon the gold supply, and this is aided by the apparent disposition to extend paper securities, thereby giving a steady impulse to the exit of the metals; as an indication of this the following is of interest, showing the total number of companies registered as limited companies, under the Joint Stock Companies Acts, from the commencement of the Joint Stock Companies Act of 1856 to the present time; total number of such companies wound up, or supposed to have been discontinued; total number remaining in operation; total amount of nominal capital of such companies; total number of shares into which that capital is divided; total number of shares taken; total amount of calls received; total number of shareholders: 1. Total number of companies registered as limited companies under the Joint Stock Companies Acts, from the commencement of the Joint Stock Companies Act of 1856 to the present time....... (a.) Total number of such companies wound up, or supposed to have been discontinued.. (6.) Total number remaining in operation.. 2. Total amount of nominal capital of such companies. 3. Total number of shares into which that capital is divided. 4. Total number of shares taken 5. Total amount of calls received. 6. Total number of shareholders.... £3,830 938 2,192 429,103,622 42,085,078 10,110,558 37,195,595 209,126 [NOTE-The returns for the last twelve months, as required by the act, not having been received in many cases, the amounts under 4, 5, and 6 are certainly greatly in excess of the numbers here given.] Thus, an amount of capital, equal to four times the Victoria gold product, bas, in the same period, been invested in new joint stock companies; a large portion of the capital has been in companies out of England, as that capital has been in demand more actively at one time than at another, the rate of interest has risen in London, and has been promptly corrected by the operations of the Bank, of which the returns are now as follows: 13.048,475 8 per ct 13,008,617 8 Dec. 2,... 21,685,732 7,234,894 12,924,545 31,980,889 66 66 16,. 66 66 23,. Jan. 6, '64 13,... 66 66 10,... 66 18,052,604 33,486,952 14,196,754 7 21,396,420 5,264,097 15,411,794 31,726,575 11,708,597 7 20,... 21,445,793 5,689,074 18,879,877 31,445,860 12,974,109 8 27,... 20,875,825 6,337,246 13,406,627 31,017,449 13,022,220 8 Feb. 3,... 21,162,626 6,748,867 13,372,981 31,436,334 13,303,243 8 20,708,113 7,254,682 12,882,226 36,923,317 13,472,271 7 17,... 20,696,172 7,079,789 13,306,156 81,078,328 13,583,635 7 +6 24,... 20,207,871 8,153,601 12,426,673 30,504,827 13,819,412 6 March 2,... 20,840,374 7,893,633 13,541,278 31,980,446 14,034,222 6 9,... 20,563,325 8,863,364 12,434,975 31,769,311 13,884,389 6 16,... 20,333,112 8,570,711 13,105,800 31,929,164 13,916,943 6 23,... 20,566,705 9,841,323 12,480,154 32,112,543 14,499,201 6 30,... 20,908,644 10,280,458 12,658,986 33,472,484 14,163,519 6 April 6,... 21,528,914 9,818,880 18,848,299 84,228,509 13,616,762 6 12,... 21,785,597 5,929,922 13,586,029 31,385,305 13,080,300 6 66 44 20,... 21,672,783 5,787,329 13,684,069 81,596,179 12,743,302 7 27,... 21,484,602 6,217,965 12,620,036 30,961,635 12,567,776 7 May 4,... 22,045,792 6,981,132 12,278,903 32,070,427 12,454,244 9 25,... 20,868,047 7,971,003 12,882,042 81,297,181 13,713,943 7 June 1.... 21,246,840 8,286,719 12,493,776 31,329,121 14,052,761 7 20,766,405 8,748,510 11,966,204 30,711,740 14,048,129 7 20,597,557 8,512,311 12,790,361 30,884,192 14,304,205 6 20,623,207 9,287,594 13,051,661 31,948,856 14,319,061 29,... 21,158,606 10,213,535 12,890,244 33,297,897 14,197,849 6 July 6,... 21,890,063 9,489,130 13,471,415 34,286,592 13,930,809 6 The public deposits rose, as usual, in the last few weeks, previous to the payment of the quarterly dividends, July 1. The securities follow the same influence, and the reserve has now increased so as to place the institution in a very strong position. The French Banks, from the 9th June, began to publish weekly returns, and these promise to be of a good deal of interest. They are as follows: There was apparently a good deal of expansion movement on the part of the institution, and there is no doubt a disposition on the part of the powers that be to stimulate some activity of production in France, by promoting a more rapid circulation of capital through new credit agencies. Thus, the Minister of Finance, in a circular to the principal functionaries in his department, directs them to employ all means in their power to promote the circulation of Bank notes in the place of coin. While great changes are being made in banking customs, with a view to remove many of the restraints formerly interposed to the circulation of credits, the Government, also, in execution of a promise it made a long while back, has directed the Council of State to draw up a bill for abolishing the usury laws. That such laws still exist in any country is a proof of the backward state of that country in economic matters. It is right, however, to mention that the Bank of France is exempted from them; but the exemption of that establishment, far from rendering them tolerable, is an additional reason for sweeping them away, seeing that, in commerce, exclusive privileges are odious and pernicious. Another reason why they should go is that they are not respected, and cannot be enforced. When money in the market is worth more than the rate they fix, bankers, of course, do not sell it for less than the value:—they charge that rate, and then require for "commission " the further sum necessary to make up the full value. Thus the law is eluded, and yet the magistrates dare not prosecute the bankers. Among new companies is the Societie Agricole et Industrielle, capital £1,000,000 in 50,000 shares of £20 each. The objects of this company is to reduce the cost of irrigation in Egypt, by the application of steam power. The soil of Egypt is of the most fertile kind, but requiring continual irrigation, and if cheap steam power were introduced, in place of the present barbarous and costly contrivances, the increase yearly would be enormous. THE FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR LOAN BILL. Passed at the First Session of the Thirty-eighth Congress. [PUBLIC.-No.-] AN ACT to provide ways and means for the support of the Government, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be and he is hereby authorized to borrow from time to time, on the credit of the United States, four hundred millions of dollars, and to issue therefor coupon or registered bonds of the United States, redeemable at the pleasure of the government, after any period not less than five nor more than thirty years, or, if deemed expedient, made payable at any period not more than forty years from date. And said bonds shall be of such denominations as the Secretary of the Treasury shall direct, not less than fifty dollars, and bear an annual interest rot exceeding six per centum, payable semi-annually in coin. And the Secretary of the Treasury may dispose of such bonds, or any part thereof, and of any bonds commonly known as five-twenties remaining unsold, in the United States, or, if he shall find it expedient, in Europe, at any time, on such terms as he may deem most advisable, for lawful money of the United States, or, at his discretion, for treasury notes, certificates of indebtedness, or certificates of deposit, issued under any act of Congress. And all bonds, treasury notes, and other obligations of the United States, shall be exempt from taxation by or under state or municipal authority. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury may issue on the credit of the United States, and in lieu of an equal amount of bonds authorized by the preceding section, and as a part of said loan, not exceeding two hundred millions of dollars, in treasury notes of any denomination not less than ten dollars, payable at any time not exceeding three years from date, or, if thought more expedient, redeemable at any time after three years from date, and bearing interest not exceeding the rate of seven and three-tenths per centum, payable in lawful money at maturity, or, at the discretion of the Secretary, semi-annually. And the said treasury notes may be disposed of by the Secretary of the Treasury, on the best terms that can be obtained, for lawful money; and such of them as shall be made payable, principal and interest, at maturity; shall be a legal tender to the same extent as United States notes for their face value, excluding interest, and may be paid to any creditor of the United States at their face value, excluding interest, or to any creditor willing to receive them at par, including interest; and any treasury notes issued under the authority of this act may be made convertible, at the discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury, into any bonds issued under the authority of this act. And the Secretary of the |