sessed of a considerable vein of wit and humor, which, though perhaps dry and classical, was always effective, and the debates of the Senate prove that he was a man of profound research. BALL, Rev. DYER, M. D., a Congregational clergyman and missionary of the A. B. C. F. M., born at West Boylston, Mass., June 3, 1796; died at Canton, China, March 27, 1866. When he was six years of age his family removed to Shutesbury, Mass., and during a revival of religion at Hadley, where he was temporarily residing, he became hopefully converted at the age of nineteen. His studies preparatory to the college course were pursued, in part, at Phillips Academy, and after two years at Yale College he was obliged to go South for his health. For a time he was tutor in a private family, near Charleston, S. C., and his collegiate education was not completed till 1826, when he graduated at Union College. In 1827 he was married to Miss Lucy Mills, of New Haven, Connecticut. He pursued theological studies for a time at New Haven, and afterward at Andover, and was licensed to preach in 1828, but was not ordained until 1831, at Shutesbury. In 1829 he was engaged in teaching a private school at St. Augustine, Florida; and in 1833 he was appointed an agent of the Home Missionary Society, to labor in that State. At this time, and during the whole of his ministry South, he was much engaged in labors for the good of the colored population. We next find him teaching in an academy in Charleston, S. C. In 1835, 1836, and 1837, in addition to other engagements, he pursued the study of medicine, with reference to foreign missionary work, and received the degree of M. D. from the medical institution in Charleston. Dr. Ball is said to have been very popular and much beloved at the South, so that he was often urged to remain, and engage in evangelistic labors among the colored population. He was also eminently successful in teaching, and his financial prospects in his school were most promising, when he left it for labors as a missionary of the American Board in the far East. After coming North to go abroad, he was detained a year in consequence of the commercial crisis of that period, and during this time did something toward the acquisition of the Chinese language. He sailed, with his family and with several other missionaries, from Boston, May 25, 1838, and arrived at Singapore on the 17th of September following. For something less than two years he was stationed at Singapore, "teaching, preaching, healing the sick, and superintending the printing of Chinese books." In June, 1841, he went to Macao, for a temporary change, on account of the illhealth of Mrs. Ball, and was providentially led to remain there until April, 1843, when he removed to Hong Kong. On the 6th of June, 1844, he was called to deep affliction by the death of his excellent wife. In 1845 he removed to Canton, and on the 26th of February, 1846, he was again married, to Miss Isabella Robertson, from Scotland, then engaged in missionary labors at Canton, who was his companion for the remainder of his life, and survives him. His medical services here were of great assistance in conciliating the people. He taught a small school of boys, and continued the superintendence of printing books and tracts in Chinese, while his "Almanac" was for many years a most acceptable publication. Taking a few medicines and tracts, he would mingle with the people, first on the banks of the river and on the ferries, and then extending his visits to the villages and markets. In this way he became widely known and respected. In February, 1854, Dr. Ball sailed, with his family, for a visit to the United States, and was absent from China until March 23, 1857, when he reached Macao on his return. His constitution was already much broken, and he was ever after infirm, and suffered much from pain as well as weakness; but it was his choice to spend his declining years in the land of his adoption, where two of his daughters, also, engaged in the missionary work; and while infirmities multiplied and pressed upon him, he still did what he could. During the last seven years of his life, when not actually confined to his couch, he would slowly work his way downstairs, totter out to his little chapel, which opened on the street, and there, seated in his arm-chair, would distribute tracts and address a few words to the passers-by, working according to his strength. Few have carried into the missionary field more energy and devotion to the work than the subject of this sketch. BANKS. The first bank under the present law authorizing the establishment of National Banks in the United States, was organized in June, 1863. At the close of 1866 the number in active operation exceeded sixteen hundred, with an aggregate paid-up capital of over four hundred millions, owned by more than two hundred thousand stockholders. The system has won the confidence of the people, and has furnished thus far a currency of uniform value in all parts of the country. It has superseded all existing State banking institutions, and places the entire control of the currency of the country in the hands of the Federal Government. It has also proved, during its short existence, to be a most important auxiliary in the financial operations of the Treasury Department. For Currency, Redemption, etc., see FINANCES U. S. The increase of national bank circulation in the United States has been as follows: The national bank circulation, April, 1867, was $291,000,000 Legal tenders and small currency... Total, April, 1867... Net circulation, April, 1867.. Bank circulation, United States, January, 1862, was.. Deduct, on hand in banks.. Increase in five years. 405,000,000 $696,000,000 123,000,000 CONDITION OF THE NATIONAL BANKS OF THE UNITED STATES, JANUARY 1, 1867. ASSETS. account. Cash Items. Nat'l Banka. other Banks. 94,598 84,295 13,071 158,345 1,216,419 110,458 84,127 49,912 185,988 1,201,222 89,295,244 765,209 148,988 75,824 988,530 7,078,111 62,891,110 481,351 280,750 28,723 5,058,972 6,271,454 234,974 20,923,100 512,424 66,986 66,317 830,095 2,915,409 26,290,161 891,049 79,076 150,658 835,551 5,593,060 58,988,651 458,893 283,274 217,547 2,812,424 11,878,688 626,720 45,121,180 157,967,294 626,887 431,051 687,825 78,758,031 9,583,979 6,749,790 237,0-15 11.855 8,652 1,028,123 3,949,947 17,708,056 543,690 95,831 82,445 613,727 4,475,125 27,844,735 896,835 169,979 175,612 760,573 6,861,008 32,517,368 1,074,419 125,797 332,549 1,754,879 8,839,274 11,651,516 411,046 89,072 121,978 895,049 1,836,692 2,182 812 108,164 14,895 10,817 81,227 314,591 2,698,662 110,436 15,869 28,561 127,784 593,396 14,277,853 412,753 25,2381 31,560 823,195 463,610 85,807 10,700 15,623 8,956 14,669 1,888,706 215,084 12,817 88,614 88,749 355,241 8,886,504 245,103 44,250 85,227 284,987 677,121 2,817,743 160,683 21,183 87,498 189,592 668,659 659,670 29,568 5,484 15,728 42,198 45,063 852,935 2,005 20,636 101,528 829,716 1,989,644 29,034 9,392 85,123 54,334 495,788 556,855 13,712 1,432 463 849,189 66,140 145,058 18,598 4,935 2,054 1,194 47,038 2,519,816 208,018 4,376 50,028 611,430 571,400 878,201 22,177 82,128 11,078 20,612 641,558 18,098,770 509,499 185,617 93,614 468,301 3,012,374 6,754,464 112,239 86,003 5,495 182,788 1,030,650 8,418,180 38,50s 23,648 21,988 81,649 925,458 18,002,867 434,466 67,938 62,240 .214,744 1,851,621 8,462,246 835,966 89,114 36,758 346,924 1,977,985 8,490,327 29,085 43,966 17,210 1,642,503 2,012,070 8,909,767 191,628 40,899 81,993 133,881 770,469 2,797,245 60,635 16,800 1,607 169,584 578,588 2,474,563 127,202 12,833 36,762 64,971 1,052,696 1,619,194 66,394 222 14,844 247,009 413,167 4,704,243 187,186 49,387 21,407 181,191 102,101 2,095,714 70,566 11,010 22,041 180,260 241,440 199,461 20,900 12,072 11,160 26,704 98,891 Missouri. 859,780 38,506 6,861 19,448 56,286 282,475 St. Louis.. 9,077,547 366,040 106,406 77,562 50,742 519,716 Arkansas 855,060 5,264 6,822 6,411 16,216 257,839 Kentucky 2,114,187 94,868 14,294 30,192 8,210 535,662 Louisville 980,584 22,465 8,789 6,750 2,570 108,899 Tennessee 8,027,798 145,473 51,791 29,715 120,986 933,222 Nevada... 114,920 24,272 21,599 9,057 15,780 354,370 223,874 Totals. $608,411,901 $18,861,138 $2,795,822 $2,852,345 $101,880,984 $92,492,446 $12,981,445 $448,198,488 $19,205,584 $1,176,142 $16,634,972 $81,925,100 $104,586,827 $1,506.448,245 The following table is an abstract of quarterly reports of the National Banking Associations of the United States, showing their condition April, July, and October, 1866, and January, 1867: THE EUROPEAN BANK MOVEMENT OF THE YEAR 1866.-La Finance estimates that the subscriptions in France, in 1866, amounted to 28,000,000 sterling for foreign loans and railway advances, 12,000,000 more for advances by the societies of Crédit Foucier for the improvement of real property-and a further 12,000,000 for debentures and shares in French railway and other companies: in all, therefore, a total subscription and contribution of 52,000,000 sterling, equal to 1,300,000,000 in francs. In 1866, the rates of discount at the principal monetary centres of Europe were as follows: At Amsterdam, the year 1866 opened with a 6 per cent. discount rate. In the 2d week of the year there was an advance to 63 per cent., but in the 8th week there was a fall to 6, and in the 11th to 5. In the 18th week, the rate went to 6, and in the 19th to 63. In the 27th week of the year, it further advanced to 7, sinking, however, to 6 in the 32d, 6 in the 33d, 5 in the 39th, 5 in the 43d, and 44 in the 51st week. Berlin commenced 1866 with a discount rate of 7 per cent., which sunk to 6 in the 8th week, advancing, however, to 7 in the 16th week, and to 9 in the 19th week. In the 29th week, there was a fall to 7, in the 30th week to 6, in the 32d week to 5, in the 44th week to 41, and in the 51st week to 4. At Bruxelles, there were very few fluctuations. They may be summed up as follows: commencement of the year, 5 per cent., 9th week, 4; 20th week, 5; 22d week, 6; 33d week, 4; and 38th week, 3. At Frankfort, the rather more numerous fluctuations were commencement of the year, 6 per cent.; 2d week, 7; 3d week, 53; 4th week, 5; 7th week, 4; 10th week, 4; 12th week, 4; 16th week, 5; 19th week, 6; 20th week, 7; 26th week, 6; 33d week, 5; 34th week, 4; 41st week, 43; and 46th week, 31. At Hamburg, there were no fewer than thirty-one changes in the rate of discount during the past year. In the 1st quarter, the fluctuations were from 4 to 7 per cent.; in the 2d quarter, from 5 to 8; in the 3d quarter, from 3 to 63; and in the 4th quarter, from 3 to 43. At London, the year opened with a discount rate of 8 per cent., which fell to 7 in the 8th, and to 6 in the 11th week of the year. In the 18th week, the rate rose to 7; in the 19th week to 9; and in the 20th week to 10. This rate continued to the 33d week, when it sunk to 8, declining further to 7 in the 34th week, 6 in the 35th week, and 5 in the 36th week. It afterwards fell to 4 in the 39th week, 4 in the 45th week, and 34 in the 51st week. At Paris, discount was kept within very moderate bounds in 1866, the year commencing with 5 per cent., from which there was a fall to 44 in the 7th week, 4 in the 8th week, 3 in the 12th week, 4 in the 19th week, 33 in the 30th week, and 3 in the 35th week. The aggregate amount of calls made by the Cornwall and Devon Mines from 1862 to 1866 amounted to £1,828,427; the dividends during the same period amounted to £751,713. The year 1864 stands foremost in the list of calls for upwards of £400,000, and during that year the dividends reached £174,907. In 1865 the calls were £331,881, and the dividends £90,596. BANK OF FRANCE, FROM 1861 TO 1866.-TWENTY-FIVE FRANCS - £.-LIABILITIES. * One of the extraordinary features of this exhibit is the rapid increase in the reserve of coin and bullion from 1864 to 1866. |