The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-06 00:00:00

; Caledonians, 29-1- ; Lancashire and Yorkshire,
75* 4 s ; London Stock, 92.1 ; Ditto Fifths, 1-2-d ;
Sheffield Stock, 211 ; Midland Stock, 64 11- 4 ;
South Eastern, 171.
CoTToN.---The market during the week has pre-
sented a decided reaction, and not only have prices
advanced, but the amount of sales has been limited
by the small quantity on offer, the present stock being
considerably below the corresponding period last year,
and rapidly decreasing. The sales for the week, up
to Friday, reached 65,720 bales, of which 7,800 were
taken on speculation, and 7,770 for export, leaving
50,150 for the trade. TO-DAY, there was another
advance of id. to Id. per lb., and the sales amounted
to 12,000 bales, including 4,000 for speculation and
export. The following is a comparison of present
rates with those of the corresponding period last;
year :---

New Orleans, middling .
„ fair ........
Upland, middling .......
„ fair ..... ..........

1854 1855
5 5-16 51-
6f
5 3.16 5 9-16
6 6•

PRODUCE.---There has been great excitement in the
Sugar-market, and prices have advanced from 6s. to
7s. per cwt. on Colonial, and 3s. to 4s. on Foreign
descriptions, The transactions have been very exten-
sive, including sales for arrival. Coflbe steady. Tea
in moderate request. Cocoa in good repuest for
export, For Rice a fair inquiry. Rum steady. Palm
Oil higher. For Tallow a good inquiry at improving
prices. TO-DAY, the Sugar-market continued very
firm at the advance noted at the close of last week ;
the transactions (including Saturday's business), were
large, consisting of 200 hhds. Trinidad at 505., 330
hhds. Antigua at 545. to 565. 6d., 170 hhds. Porto
Rico at 545. to 585., 350 bags Cossipore at 585., 600
bags Dates at 545. 6d., 640 mats brown Mauritius at
48s. to 495. 6d., 450 bag,s white Pernams at 50s , with
1400 bags brown to arrive at 31s. 6d., and 4000 bags
afloat at 31s per cwt. Molasses continne scarce,.and
there being also attic Rum on'offer, the business is
still limited. 100 bags Rio Coffee are reported at 455.
per cwt. The trade have been engaged inspecting
the numerous -samples of Tea, by the Conrad and
Patna, but as z-et little has been done. We have had
considerably more doing in Rice, 2700 bags old
Larong having realised 125., besides which a cargo of
17,000 bags Arracan has been sold afloat for the Con-
tinent at 12s. 9d., and 50 tons broken Bengal to arrive
at 14s. 6d. per cwt. We have also to notice 150 cases
Castor Oa at 6,1-d per lb., 450 bales ITute at £l6 ss.
per ton, 450 bags yellow Mustard Seed, from the quay,
at 735,, and 450 tons Bengal Rapeseed, to arrive, at
655. per quarter, c f. and i.

WooL.---Since our last weekly report we have no
fefittire to notice in the Wool-market, but at the same
time a better feeling has been manifest during the laSt
two or three days ; stocks -of all descriptions are very
;fight, and the trade generally in .a very healthy state,
-so that it is expected shortly to see more activity in
'the market. Imports for 'the week are, 1,044 bales
East India, 171 Lisbon, 133Seetch, 21 Irish, 5 Coas-
wise, 1,065 Peru, and 2 Mediterranean ; total, 2,439
bales.
Messrs. Greame and .00,111. their monthly circular,

.say ;--- -
The past month has been one of unusual dulness; the un-
easy feeling regarding the Money market which, characterised
the close of Sept., has-since then considerably increased, and
the further advance in the bank rates of discount to 6 and
per cent. appears to haVe completely destroyed coniidence,.and
for the present to paralyse trading operations geneially.; .busi-
ness transactions ltav
'consequence been very much cur-
tailed, but from the-lightness of stocks of wool and the other-
wise healths-state-of the trade in the manufacturing districts,
prices have-not-as yet given way materially, andthe .chief re-
sult of this untoward event, so far as regards the wool trade,
seems to 'he an entire cessation of all speculative demand and
a determination on the 'part of consumers to confine their
operations excluSively to supply their iMmediate requirements.
Sales haw been made in Spanish Frontier, Lisbon, OPotto,
EgAtian,fine'Peruiian,aud the better classes of Turkey and
East India without any material reduction in price, but for
the lower-sorts of Turkey, Russian, Barbary,-&c., Prices- may
be quoted id:to Isl. per ib. lower, although in a great measure
notifinal, as there is a:total absence of demand for these deserip-
tionSs of Mohair and Alpaca stocks are very -light and the late
advanced rates are 'well supported. In -English and Irish
combing wools a reduction of Id. to Id.-per lb. may be quoted
on some-sorts ; in Scotch not much doing;and to effect-sales
lower rates would' have to be submitted to.

TnIBER.--::We quote the folloviingltr" om the' monthly
circular of 'Messrs. :fifoLarE, SLATER, Co.:--
"Mite arrivals into the docks of the Mersey, during the
month, containing timber from British North America, are-
-69 vessels, 48,019 tons, against 58 vessels, 41,893 tons, for the
corresponding period last year. The tonnage employed in the
Canadian timber trade, as compared with last year 'to this
time, is only 102,000' tons; hat from St.-John
anti, other. ports' it is greatly in excess, being 184,000 tons
;against 136,000 to the same period last year. .The great defi-
•ciency in the supply of Quebec timber, and an extensive con-
-suuption, have reduced the stock and enhanced the price so
-considerably, that cargoes which sold :at the commencement of
the import season at, 161-d. per foot for 78 feet average, cargoes
-of the same description are now worth 201-d. per foot."

'METALS.---There is very little. to report, as every-
tiling is dull, but without change in prices, -Scotch
Tigs may be quoted at 755. per ton, f.o.b. at Glasgow.
In Manufactured Iron no alteration. Other articles
*without change.

IMPORTANT TO SHIPOWNERS _AND
UNDERWRITERS.

THE StHIP MERMAID.

..A.ea.se of great importance to shipowners and underwriters
.came on for investigation on Saturday, before Mr. Mansfield,
the stipendary magistrate, and Captain Robertson, of the
Board of Trade. As the case had occasioned a considerable
•enteat of conversation and discussion, great number of
parties interested in shipping were present at the opening of
the investigation, whiclrbok place in the magistrates' priimte

Mr. Mansfield, beforeeproceedinge.said that, from the state
of his health, it was impossible for him to.sit if the. apartment
were .crowded. He therefore requested that all parties not
immediately concerned in :the case would leave the room, as
:the public would be amplaarepresented, and Ally informed of
all that took place, by the gentlemen who were present to
report for the press.
311..3%11, solicitor, sa-hoee.,ppeared for theeehipowners, seed
biseelieuts, Messrs. Filkington and llrilecn, the eminent
.shipowners, of the White eta: line of Australian Royal Maß'
.packets, whose interests were .deeply invoiredin the investi-
gation about to proceed, were:-most anxious that every pub-
licity: ahottid be given to The proceedings.
Mr, Mansfield repeated thateample publicity would be given
:to:the proceedings by the gentleinea of the, press who . were
present ;amid considering the.emalluess of. the apartment, he
must insist an the room being. cleared. ,If Messrs. Pilkington
and Wilson evere not witneolics in the case, and 'desired to be
present; they might remain.
The.casetken proceeded. It. was ,an inquiry demanded by
Captain Edward Devey, of the .sleip Mermaid, belonging to
Messrs. Ptiltington and Wilson's " White • Star ;.Ike," into
certain:oharge6 made against him inn liter addressed by the
British consul at Pernambuco to the Board of Trade.
•The,royal mail clipper-ship Mermaideitseerne, on herhome-
waird-,voyage from Melbourne, baying been detained ty ad-
' vense.viinds:.sud severe weather, became ,straitened for pro-
' visions, and. Captain Devey made for Pernambuco, with the
intention of receiving supplies of fresh. provisions, but not in-
tending to remain longer than a few: hours. The Mermaid, as
has been intimated some time ago, arrived, in ;Liverpool.one,;,he
20th of last mouth, with about 200 passengers.on.board.and a
very valuable cargo, comprising, among other articles,
_gold,to
the value. of 4:440,00.
In buffeting the .;stormy seas which she ,encountered, the
vessel had.become ..slightly leaky, a circumstance which. had
attracted Captain Devey;s early and earnest attention, and
which a minute investigation had convinced him ,was of no
serious moment„and.sach as in no way Ati toitnperil :the safety
of the ship. •On .arrivirg at Pernambueo,,one or two of the
cabin passengers, ,not.much acquainted with maritime affairs,
and alarmed for their :personal safety, communicated to the
British Consul the.factlthat the vessel was leaky. Theeansul,
more acutely eave-te the =.i.tnportance of this communication
than consuls sornetimes.are, issued an order that the Mermaid
should be immediately smveyed. Against this -the.captaie, a
nautical officerofeauchexpertence and judgmentremonstrated,
declaring-it to be altogether:unnecessary. Regardless of the
captain's opposition, the consul insisted on the survey :being
made ; and the parties to whom this important duty .was .en-
trusted reported it as their .opilion that the ship could not be
allowed to proceed on her voyageanitil she had been eatensively
repaired. Apart from his conviction that no such coureeaf pro-
eeeding was necessary,Capt. Deveyaaware that it was impossible
tto take a vessel of such tonnage .as the Mermaidover the lam. at
Pernambuco without incurring &great cost and waste of time
in leaving her lightened of her cargoaremonstrated against the
order. He further knew that, even ,ater the ship had been
lightened so as to get her into the port, there was no dry dock,
or,indeed, any dock at all, into which :a vessel of such maga
nitudeas the Mermaid could he put, And that the only way in
which ehe could even be examined was to have her beached,
an operation which, in his judgment, must have proved fatal
to the ship, In these circumstances, he refused compliance
with the sec:wad's order. The consul insisted on submission, i
and further s.utimated his intention of enforcing obedience, I
and also insisting on means being afforded for securing the pay-
ment of his (the consul's) commission of two and a half per
cent. upon the gold on board, a commission amounting to some-
where about £10,600. The captain, fully convinced of the
seaworthiness of his ship, yet also deeply 'sensible of the
heavy responsibility which rested upon him, stated the
case plainly to his passengers, at the same time assuring
them that he had the fullest reliance on the perfect safety of
proceeding on the voyage. Trusting in his representations, the
passengers, with the exception of 10 or 12, volunteered to go,
with him, and signed a memorial to that effect. Armed with
this document, and animated by the confidence in his judg-
ment which its presentation implied, he resolved to crave the
authority of the consul ; and having first, so far as it was pos-
sible for him to do so, provided against every contingency
which might arise on the voyage, he sailed from Pernambuco
on the 10th of Sept., and after a pleasant voyage of one month
and four days, brought his ship, his passengers, and his cargo,
safely into the Mersey—thus clearly justifying his reliance on
the seaworthiness of this noble ship, and vindicating her cha-
racter. In addition to all this, the energetic promptitude of
his decision saved the pockets of . his owners and the under-
writers a sum which would not have been less than Z 25,000,4
in charges for repairs (which, if executed at all, must have been
inefficiently performed,) for detention of the ship, and for. the
commission claimed by the consul.
The fact of the Mermaid having made the run from Per-
nambuco to Liverpool in so short a time as that occupied, may
be presumed as proof of her excellent sailing condition and
qualities, and is in itself a sufficient evidence of the soundness