The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-04 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL and MONETARY NEWS•

*-

MONDAY NIGHT.

THE Funds, which up to Friday had firmly main-
tained their value, experienced on that day a sudden
decline, amounting to nearly one per cent., owing to
large sales of Stock, induced, it is said, by rumours of
differences having arisen among the negotiators for
peace at Paris. There was, however, a speedy reaction,
as, upon reflection, it became evident that little could
be known of the proceedings, and that such rumours
were not entitled to credence. There has been an
active demand for money, and discounts, except for
first-class paper of short dates, have been fully as high,
and in many cases exceeded the Bank minimum.
Foreign exchanges are not quite so favourable, and
the instalments for the new loan have also added
somewhat to the pressure on monetary resources.
The returns of the Bank of England, published on
Friday, show an increase in the stock of Bullion of
£42,898, which is rather an unexpected result, as the
exports of specie that week exceeded the imports, and
there is also a decrease in the actual circulation of
£182,750, so that the reserve of notes unemployed has
increased by £205,245, making the total £5,848,810.
The private securities have increased £1,441,545, and
the private deposits no less than £1,798,239, arising,
doubtless, from the preparations making for the new
loan, and for the bills falling due on the 4th of the
month. Upon the whole, the account may, be con-
sidered rather favourable than otherwise.
The Board of Trade returns for the month of Janu-
ary show an increase in the declared value of our ex-
portations still larger than that exhibited in the pre-
ceding month. It was then £1,470,979, and in the
present instance it is £1,509,990. This is partly
attributable to the impulse given to operations of all
kinds during the last two weeks of the period by the
announcement of peace, cotton, linen, and woollen
yarns having been largely shipped to the continental
manufacturers, who then regained confidence. Almost
all classes of goods, however, have participated in the
increased business, with the exception of cotton manu-
factures, the falling-off in which was to have been ex-
pected after the extraordinary increase presented in the
previous return. It is to be remarked, jowever, that
this falling-off is intrinsically greater than it appears,
since allowance must be made for the advance in the
price of the staple since the corresponding month of
last year. A further improvement in the total of
haberdashery and a moderate increase in hardwares,
cutlery, and leather tend to indicate a revival in the
Australian trade.

With regard to imported commodities, most of the
principal articles show an increased consumption. For
the first time for some months, however, the quantities
of breadstuffs do not present an increase. Tea, coffee,
wines, spirits, tobacco, and spices, all figure for large
totals. Sugar still exhibits a heavy falling off:—
Subjoined are the quantities of provisions, &c., taken
for home consumption :

Month Ending
Feb. 5, 1855. Jan. 34 1856.
Wheat, quarters ... ... 301,669 ... 207,600
Indian corn, quarters ... 60,773 157,623
Flour and meal, cwt. ... 130,647 ... 190,154
Eggs, N 0.... 4,750,400 ... 6,381,000
Cocoa, 1b.... 437,770 ... 259,721
Coffee, 1b.... ... 3,424,259 ... 4,137,990
Sugar, cwt. ..: 672,057 ... 319,457
Tea, lb. ... ... 5,196,781 ... 9,424,140
Rice, cwt.... 70,624 ... 115,064
Spirits, gallons ... 440,731 ... 452,749
Wines, gallons - ... 621,251 ... 610,296
Opium, 1b.... 4,961 ... 5,280
Tobacco, lb. ... 2,646,061 ... 3,604,597
Currants, figs, and raisins,
cwt. ... 17,961 ... 15,711
Lemons & oranges, bsh.... 159,217 ... 113,560
Spices, 1b.... ... ... 395,252 ... 530,028

The following are the comparative imports and ex-
ports of raw material, showing a diminution in each
case, excepting cotton and wool:
Imported. • Exported.
Month end- Mouth end- Month end- Month end-
ing Feb. 5, ing Jain.3l, ing Feb. 5, ing Jan. 31,
1855. 1856. 1855. 1856.
Flax, cwt. 22,530 19,754
Hemp, cwt. 42,717 28,716
Raw silk, lb. 173,724 117,227 115,661 228,282
Cotton, cwt. 178,635 289,882 27,249 79,294
Wool, lb. 1,271,012 1,314,859 392,280 716,745
Tallow, cwt. 92,335 56,685
The return from the Bank of England for the week
ending the 23rd February gives the following results,
when compared with the previous week :
Public Deposits ... £4,141,551; Decrease ... £23,272
Other Deposits ... 14,162,364; Increase ... 1,798439
Rest ... ... ... 3,470,046; Decrease... 35,607

On the other side of the account :
Government Securities.. £11,946,006; Increase ... £15,000
Other Securities
Notes unemployed 5,848,810; Increase ... 205,245
The amount of notes in circulation is £18,5/1,520,
being a decrease of £182,750, and the stock of bullion
in both departments is £10,575,392, showing a decrease
of £42,898 when compared with the preceding
return.