The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-11 00:00:00

IRONMAST7RS' QUARTERLY
MEETING.

The usual quarterly meetings of the ironmas-
ten of this district commenced at Wolverhamp-
ton, on Wedneaday. It sn happens that this
year it falls at the earliest date possible ; that
circumstance, combined with the utter stag,na-
tion in other respects prevailing, made the as-
Benibly on Wednesday one of the most meagre
ever witnessed. After the evnerienee of it the
Wolverhampton meeting may RS well be aban-
doned in form as it is in fart. At a quarter-
past three o'clock there were not three score of
the buying chugs, and those actually engaged in
the trade, present; the remainder of the assent-
, lily teas made up of brokers, agents, end other
hangers-on, who are becoming more nurnerons
every quarter. With regard to business no nre-
fence was made that any was transacted. The
representatives; of two or three Liverpool houses
wore present, lint they were intent only on as-
certaining the feeling with regard to prices, and
the terms on which orders could be placed. In
other respects the meeting was merely conver.
potion's] ; and, apart from the extreme dulnews,
the trade is in such an unsettled state in this
locality—one failnre after another having contri-
buted to create a feeling of uneasiness which
seems to have become chronic—that, anticipa-
tions with regard to the future are even less
hopefill than they were this time twelve months.
I Very few orders for finished iron have come in
since the Preliminary Meeting, and it was men-
tioned on Wednesday that some of the very few
persona who pride themselves on adhering to
the " list " price are glad to obtain contracts
upon a reduction. Stocks are, however, so low
that a certain amount of business may be done
at the Birmingham meeting; hut with the pre-
sent prospects of trade generally, and with the
prevailing uncertainty as to the price of iron, It
is not likely that buyers of any class will go In
for more than a month's consumption.
The pig-masters report 1004 t unfavourably of
the vaition of the trade in that branch. The
number of furnaces ont of blast at this moment
is almost unprecedented: bet of these persons
who have something left to lose several have it
in contemplation to blow out furnaces, and it is
highly probable that this resolution will he ear-
tied into effect to a considerable extent before
the end of this quarter.
The North Staffordshire ironmesters in the
hail on WatlEatV Intimated their fixed deter-
mination to ststul by their reaolatlon to reduce
the wages anal.. They desire to put the rats
bark to what It was prior to the last great strike
and they ground the nneosalty for this upon the
tiet that they are selling flnishel iron 13a per
ton less than VMS declared last January.

The Neenn.l meeting of the Tronmesters of
this district for the current quarter was held in
the ltirmingliem Town Hall, on Thursday after-
noon. The attendance was not more than two-
thirds of what it usually is, and from the coin-
ineneement to the dime the Renee of the prevail.
flatnetut and denreeelon was never for a
tn,anient relieved. Of the buying class there
wee nininebtedly a eonsidereble member in the
Hall, hut on no pretence or other they, far the
moat pert. abstained from entering into engage-
meets e'crept on a very moderate Reale, and at
hest contracts were not given fir more than a
moutlee consumption. One section held off
buying on the i•rmind that the price of mann-
teetered iron will go lower; another, license
trade generaltv is bad, and not likely to revive
at preannt. The result was ntio of the dullest
Quarter-days over experieneed, and a very
ai lonely feeling prevailed throughout. The slug-
gmh deneind extends to every description ef
finished iron ; the consequence is that it several
works, where they have gone on making to a
certain extent in the expectation of better times:
they have got their warehouses full of stock.
whielt will not be nmeh reduced by anything
which took place at this meeting. It will he
Rafe to say that there has been no occasion with-
in the last twenty years whim so little beeinees
of every kind VIM trail-meted aa on this Quarter
day. So far AR the sentiments of those present
could be ascertained, there aeas only one opinion
fru this point. Having maid so much. those who
aro timiliar with thg trade will be able to form
their OWII ides as to what tern prices are likely
ti take unless there springs up some sudden and
nuexpected deemed.

Tl:e Shropshire iron trade is, as a rule, very
free from fluctuation. It wan, however, men-
tioned in the flail on Thnraday that they are
vory q 'let in that quarter, but that they would
rutber work less than reduce prices.