The Express.
London, England, 1851-10-21 00:00:00

Though the arrivals of breadstuffs from abroad
have beta small of late, arid the advice@ from the continent
are of a character to lead to the belief that no shipments
can at present be made from the northern ports of Europe
tor this country with any chance of profit, the wheat trade
has, since our last, shown symptoms of weakness, and the
recently established advance has barely been supported.
The fact is, that no speculative purehwers come forward,
and so soon as buyers fur consumption have secured suffi-
cient to guard against any immediate want, they contract
their operations. This has, at all events, been tho course
ciotied fur a considerable time past, and the millers seem
sed to continue the ramp plan.
he capital condition in which the new wheathashitherto
mem forward has induced rather free purchases, and wo
believe that mast of the country, as well as the principal
metropolitan millers, hold 'pod stocks. It is, therefore,
quite probable that a assail reaction may occur in prices ;
but we do not look for my decline of moment, end are dis-
posed to think that after a temporary and slight fall the
tendency of prices will he rather upwards in November and
the early part of December, but about Christmas supplies
may again prove in excess of demand.
Farmers are naw actively engaged with ploughing and
sowing, and out-door work will employ much of their time
for another month ; the deliveries from the growers are,
therefore, likely to be small during that period, and as it
appears almost certain that no shipments of importance will
be made from the northern continental ports before the
spring of next year, prices can scarcely be expected to give
way mask .z sg. the makes &mold far a time refesia
from buying.
The great depression which took place in the value of
wheat immediate) y after harvest, and which continued till
nearly the close of' September, was not caused altogether
by the idea that the home crop would prove superabun-
dant, but rather owing to the belief that, whether wanted
or nut, we should continue to receive large foreign supplies
of breadstuffs. That the wheat harvest in Great Britain
U. given a very good return is certain, but the yield is not
so large as to warrant such prices as those lately accepted ;
nor would farmers have been so anxious to realise but fur
pecuniary pressure and fear of foreign imports.
The average price of wheat is now only 31s. fid., or lowe r
than it has been at any period the last 14 years. This is
4s. 6d. per qr. lower than the point we tiled as likely to be
the average for the kingdom under free trade; and until we
again approach 40s. per qr., the supplies from abrood will
not, we think, be very abundant.
The subdued tone of the advice. from Mark-lane of Mon-
day last appears to hare had more or less influence on the
markets held in the early part of the week. At Liverpool,
on Tuesday, buyers acted with extreme caution, and though
choice parcels of white brought an advance of Id per 701b5.,
other descriptions barely sold so well as on that day
se'nnight. The arrivals of flour at that port during the
week ending the 13th inst. exceeded 21,000 barrels, and the
article was consequently easier to buy on Tuesday. Later
in the week the anxiety to sell increased, and both wheat
and flour might have been purchased rather cheaper on
Friday than on the preceding market day.
The accounts from most of the other largo consuming
towns in the north are of a similar character, and the ten-
dency
of prices has also been downwards this week at the '
shipping ports on the east coast, were good 62 to 631br. '
Red wheat has been offered at 31s. to 335. per quarter with-
out meeting a free sale.
The reports in reference to potatoes do not improve, and
it is feared that a large proportion of those apparently sound
when dug will rut in the pits. Ilithertu, however, the par-
tial failure of that useful root has produced no influence on
prices of other kinds of food, and even Indian corn has not
of late varied much in price.
Our letters from Scotland say very little as to the result
of the harvest in that part of the kingdom, from which we
are disposed to conclude that there is not much to complain
of. At Edinburgh, on Wednesday, the supply of new wheat
was more than equal to the demand, and the turn was
rather in favour of the buyer ; spring corn was, on the
other hand, rather dearer, barley being quoted ls. and oats
Gel per quarter higher than on that day se'nuight. The
Glasgow market was not so well supphed • ith wheat on
Wednesday, and prices ware quite as high as before.
From Ireland we learn that the potatoes were not keep-
ing well in the pits; this was, however, causing less alarm
than would have been the case but for the abundance and
cheapness of Indian corn, oatmeal, and other articles suita-
ble for substitutes.
The arrivals of wheat coastwise into the port of London
have been moderate, only 4,38 qrs. having been reported
up to this (Saturday) evening. A considerable proportion
of this supply is from the east coast, and nearly the whole
has gone direct into the hands of the millers, without sp.
peering at market. Th.. quantity exhibited by lands
carriage samples from Essex, Kent, and Suffolk, since
Monday last, has been perfectly insignificant, notwith-
standing which some difficulty has been experienced in rew
tieing previous rotes.
The top quotation for town-manufactured flour has been
ateosiily maintained, and other sorts have not been sold
' cheaper.
The receipts of barley have not been large, and the
i greater proportion of what has come to hand has consisted
of secondary quality.
The arrivals of oats coastwise have been scanty, and the
I offers per rail have been less plentiful than of late.
Peas having come forward sparingly, have brought very
full terms, the advance of Monday being maintained up to
' the close of the week. _ _ _

Indian corn has been held with increased firmness, and
must of the vessels which have arrived off the coast have
been ordered to proceed to different ports to discharge;
floating cargoes of Galata to arrive have brought rm. 3d.,
and ibraila 245. 6d. per qr., cost, freight, and insurance.