The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-12-27 00:00:00

grain anb Continua.

LEEDS, December t2.—Tlic weather is very dull and
cold, and therefore unfavourable to businesi operations.
This circumstance, combined with the fact that
cisl transactions are not usually very numerous about
Cbriet&na., will c.ily account for the quiet state of the
cloth-iiimket this morning. There was, indeed, only a
limited attendance of both merchants and inanufac-
liners at the halls, and a very small quantity of goods
was disposed of. The trade, however, presents inost of
the true indications of health and sounilties.s. The
manufacturers generally hove ample orders on hand,
employment is plentiful, with every prospect of its con-
tinuing so for some time to come, and there is no fear
but that the productions of the manufacturers will meet
with a ready sale in the warehouses in due course.

MAINCHEntEII, 21—We have had a very quiet yarn-
market, and prices are down fully id. per lir. for counts
and qualitits suitable for the markets of heti t and Ger-
many. Home trade and Bolton spinnings are still firm,
and • fair business is reported. Two-fold yarns are also
still firm. A fair business is reported in low numbers of
hard twist for the Mediterranean. In cloths there is
again a very quiet market for fabrics suited to India,
with less disposition to purchase, and these goods are
quoted lid. less as regards skirtings, making a total
decline from tl.e late highei4 rate-if dd. per piece.
Other goods, such les the better qualites of printers,
doiiietics, long-clutlis, and T•cluths, fur the home trade
and for export, are much the same an before as to
value. There is a generally quieter market, however,
in these goods, as in others, only they are firmer in
price. Messrs. John
.Slagg and Co. report :—The
demand for India goods has within the last few days
become very inactive, awl, there being a greater desire
on the part of producers to sell, prices are somewhat ir-
regular. There is. however, very little business doing
in them, the low prices offered being generally declined.
Longcloths and l'-cloth s nre still in fair request, without
change in prices ; but printers are less nominal fur, and
the late extreme rates arc iii longer obtained.
ItocitD.G.F:, 21. rho near approach of Christmas
time renders trade rather inanimate, but stocks are very
low, and the tone of business is firm. There was very
little wool sold to-day, and prices are without change.
In flannel there is not much doing. The Yorkshire
rode continues good.
THE STATISTICAL SOCIETY.--A meeting of this
society was held Wedesday evening, Col. Sykes, M.P., in
the chair. Mr. David Chadwick read a paper on the
rate of wages in the manufacturing districts f Lan-
cashire, 1839-59. It stated that a large proportion of
the operative classes in the various branches of trade are
receiving more wages at the present time than they have
done during the last 20 years, and there appears good
reason to expect that the prosperity now prevailing is
likely to be more than usually permanent. The low
prices of provisions and clothing, together with the high
rate of wage* and the facilities for education and moral
. culture now existing, having placed within the reach of
the working dames more physical monforts and the
means of obtaining more social and intellectual enjoy-
! talent than at any previous period. To prove Base pro.
! positions it is only requisite to peruse attentively the
1 rates of wages paid to the various trades. In the cot-
ton trade the advance of wages has averaged from 10
to 25 per cent, during the 20 years 1830-511. In the
, silk trade generally no decline has taken place, and in
, the weaving and moue other branches an advance has
occurred. In calico printing, dyeing, and bleaching,
! and in silk aid fustian dyeing a decline in wages has
occurred in those branches which no longer require any
. special or peculiar skill, and also in the higher class of
skilled workmen, such as machine printers, but the
wages of this class now ranges trout 25e. to 50a. per
, week, the average reas being 355. In the builiiing trades
the increase during the 'X years like averaged 11 to 32
per cent. In the mechanical trades there has been •
general advance in nearly all branches. In some in-
stances the advance was equal to 45 per cent. The
wages of workmen in every trade have invariably de-
clined where the supply of labaur has exceeded the
demand. In like manner, the wages of the voirkuleu
have invariably increased where the demand has ex-
ceeded the supply.

GRIAT INC.K.E-ABl6 IN THE CeNARD FLISIST Or STEA•
are very happy to be the chroniclers of the
fact that the screw steamship Australasian will hence-
forth hail from this port. The Cunard C'ouipany have
purchased her for their fleet, and they can now boast of
having the finest paddle-bust and the finest screw in the
world. Mr. Maclever mentioned incidentally at the
Mersey Board some time ago that they had eight new
screws building in the Clyde, and when the Austra-
lasian is added, we believe we are not very far short of
the mark when we calculate their value at half a million.
It is pleasing to record such advances in our mercantile
navy amid the complaints of shipowners generally, and
.It ie a testimony of our every day experience of the
worth of the homely saying—" What's one nien's meat

another man's pulson:" °The energy, judgment, per-
and decision which guide the management in
Water•street are worthy of all admiration and have
earned the success deserved.—Lirerpoul Daily l'ost.

AGRICULTURAL MONIT-M•ILING.- An able paper
has been read before the Halesworth Farmers' Club, by
Mr. R. Bond, on the profits of agriculture. Mr. Bond
estimates the increase in the grans production of the
country since the commencement of the century at 70
or SV, while the meat production, he thinks, has in.
creased 100 per cent. The price of wheat having been
on the whole, tending downwards, having been ISs. 101.
in 18011. 9Th. fid. in 1815, 78s. 84. in 1825, 655. 74. in
I 1853, 575. 114. in 1845, and 53.. 10d. in 1855. The
I rental value of land in England in 1815 was 1:32,800,000.
land at the present Mr. Bond estimates it at £41,000,000,
The landed proprietors have, therefore, he awns, in
the face of the diininithed prices of grain, derived the
greatest benefits from the increased produce which has
resulted from vast and progressive iniproveusents ; and
he believes that such will be the advancement from
improved mechanical appliances. 'deeper culture, es-
tetended stock fanning, Icc., that laud purchased now to
pay 3i per cent. will 50 years hence almost double its
rental returns. With • gradual diwininution of 33 per
cent. in the value of wheat, and a rise of '›; per cent. in
the rental value of land, with no considerable increase
in the amount of cultivated land, but with a consider-
ably increased demand for farms, the tenant has been
in no easy position ; he must have improved liis hold-
ing in accordance with the advanoeinent of the age, or
he would have lost not only his percentage return, but
his capital also. Fanners, Mr. ltunil exprossed his
belief, now suffered considerably as regards the competi-
tion for farms from amateurs who farm for aniunment,
without reference to profit ; and the competition ex-
perienced in commercial pursuits was less than in
agricultural, while the percentage of profit was infinitely
greater. Many a farmer now making a good profit had
to thank his landlord for a large portion of it, simply
besause his farm was let at a moderate rental, and not
thrown into the 'indict to niake the highest price it
would fetch. Still, Mr. Bond said, he did not fear com-
petition ; competition for farms with long leases and
liberal covenants would give the triumph to capital, and
capital sericulture still required. Tenants with small
means would be eventually beaten out of the market;
they had gradually been falling away for years past, and
their places would in future be filled by men with
capital derived from other ware's. The tenant's share
of agriculture money-making in the future would not,
he thought, be greater than it has hitherto been ; com-
petition for farina would keep down the percentage
returns, and profits exceeding a low average would only
be mad* where (anus were not offered for fierce competi.
lion in the market or where very useful skill was dia.
laced by tenants. Referring to the agricultural
labous_rer, lit. Bond remarked that his gain in the

increased agricultural returns of the present day was
small, and his pecuniary position was hut slightly
improved ; still lie stood infinitely better in the ,ociai
cc a free and independent man, and if lie used
his improved position aright lie (Mr. Bondi belived that
jewel! in future b • able to c•mnd a better how,
a better elluextion, and more of the physical and
inti•llectual comforts lof existence. As reguards remedial
ine,urcs calculated to improve the condition of the
agricultural intent, Mr. Bond a•leocated a consider-
ation f the currency laws, a free transfer of land, the
epeal if the malt•tax, and a better adjustment of the
relationship between landlord and tenant.