The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-12-03 00:00:00

NOTES OF TIIE WEEK.

The Board of Trade returns for the month
of october, show less depression than the same
month last year when the American troubles
had scarcely begun to tell upon our trade with
that country. Considering that the monthly
exports of British Goods to the American States
is certainly diminished by at least the value of a
million sterling, the total value of our exports
show a not unsatisfactory result, being nearly
half a million more than the same month last
year. The main source of compensation during
the year has no doubt been the gradually increa-
sing trade with a number of customers, of whom
France and Italy are the most important
specimens. The principal increase is in the
woollen, hard-ware, arid pig iron trades. As to,
the import trade it is remarkable
that, while the quantities of French
wines imported by us are increasing
rapidly every month, the computed value of the
French wines imported shows even a diminution,
indicating that we are getting a cheaper article
than last year. The trade with Naples and
Sicily now reach nearly two millions annually,
showing that our trade thither has at least
doubled since the Napoleon re'giine was thrown
off. Indeed, our exports to the kingdom of
Italy now exceed five annually, rivalling
those to Holland, and standing fourth on our
list of European customers.
The announcement of the forcible capture of
Messrs. Slidell and Mason, the Southern
dele.,ates, on Board the West India Mail

Stealer Trent, by the United States frigate San
Jacinto on Wednesday, occasioned the greatest
excitement in the city, and was the topic of
universal conversation. The opinion was de-
cidedly averse to the northern Government.
Consuls which were at 024 to immediately fell
1 per cent. At Lloyds, hve guineas per cent.
war riak was asked for vessels from New York,
but these terms were not conceded, and the
actual rate paid was 20s. For outward-bound
British Ships to China 10s war risk was
given, and to Australia lbs., but a
general disposition was shown to act
cautiously, and hence risks for long voyages
were not readily taken. The price of saltpetre,
which had advanced to about 435. per cwt., on
account of large purchases for the Federal
Government, fell back nominally to 385., in con-
sequence of Government having forbidden its
export to any port as contraband of war.
That M. Fould will propose as a remedy of
the financial situation of France is still a matter
of great curiosity. The general belief is that
his plan will be very simple :-1. A loan to
consolidate the whole or the greater part of the
40 millions sterling, which he admits to be
owing by the Government; 2, an increase of
taxes to meet the change which he has resolved
to introduce in the budget. He had, it is said,
resolved on cutting down the enormous expendi-
ture for the army and the navy, but he has
f 1 that any material reduction in that direc-
tion is not to he hoped for. The majority of
hi, colleagues will not hear hint speak of any-
thing of the kind, and the Emperor himself is
said to be against it. Indeed, the Government
organ at Toulon, the principal military port of
France, is allowed to announce that not a single
sixpence will be taken from the Budget of the
Marine Department, but that, on the contrary,
the grant next year for building iron ships will
be a million sterling, English, more than last
year. Another paper, also published at Paris,
and which is said to receive what the French
call "inspirations direct from the Emperor's
private Cabinet," has published a series of
, articles for the purpose of showing that no "dis-
armament" of the army,—that is to say, no real
and permanent reduction of the effective force
can be accomplished in the present state of
Europe.