The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-25 00:00:00

REVIEW OF TILE BRITISH CORN TRADE

DURING THE PAST WEEK.

(Pros the Mark LOPS* Express.)
The general tone of the grain trade has undergone
very little change since our but, and though the arrivals
from abroad have been on a moderate scale at most of the
principal ports on the coast, the downward movement in
prices of wheat has not been checked. Liverpool is
almost the only place at which anything like a large sup-
ply has come forward during the week; but even at those
places where the receipts have been the lightest, business
has remained quiet, buyers having refused to purchase
more than needed for immediate wants—a course of pro-
ceeding which plainly indicates a want of confidence in the

future.
The weather has, on the whole, been favourable for out-
door-labours, and farmers have been rather busily employed
in the fields; they have, nevertheless, brought forward fair
supplies of wheat.
The reports from the agricultural districts respecting the
appearance of the autumn-sown wheat continue of a satis-
factory character ; the plant is described as strong and
healthy, without being prematurely forward—a circum-
stance which unquestionably has its influence as tending to
cheek all disposition to enter into speculative investments.
The arrivals from the Black Sea and Mediterrunean ports
off the coast have not been so large this week as previously,
but a considerable number of vessels balm with Wheat and
Indian corn are known to be still on passage; and as there
is a prospect of shipments from some of the nearer conti-
nental ports being soon commenced, we are not likely to be
long without supplies from one quarter or the other.
Business at Mark-lane has throughout the week been
languid, and the transactions in most articles have been of
too little importance to warrant any alteration being made

in quotation;.
Iho total arrival of wheat coastwise into the port of Lon-
don has up to this (Saturday) evening amounted to 2,2110
qrs., and scarcely any has been offered fur sale since Monday
by land-carriage samples from the neighbouring counties.
On Wednesday the Essex and Kent stands were nearly
bare, and, in the absence of sales of any consequence, prices
remained 'manually as before. On Friday there were a few
lots exhibited front the first-named county, mostly in rough
condition; the demand was as luaguid us at any perilous
period, and some difficulty was experienced in clearing 01l
the little on sale at former rates.
The general weekly average price for Wheat for the
kingdom, published on Thursday last, is 375. fid. per qr.,
and the next return will probably be still lower.
A material falling off has taken place in the arrivals of
wheat from abroad, only 9,336 qrs. having come to hand
within the last eight days. There is now, we believe, little
on passage from the Baltic, and the shipments from nearer
continental ports having le en small of late, it is not impro-
bable that the supplies may for a time be more moderate
than we have been accustomed to. Hitherto we have had
a plentiful display of samples from on board ship and cx
granary; and stocks are sufficiently large to prevent any
scarcity being experienced, even if the receipts should for a
time be comparatively small.
The atteialimet of country buyers at Mark-lane was very
thin both on Wednesday and Friday, and the large town
millers manifested no symptoms of being in want of old
Wheat; the operations were, consequently, confined to
small purchases made by needy consumers, who had to pay
former terms: but to have succeeded in selling to any ex-
tent, it would have been necessary to have accepted lower

prices.
Polish Odessa Wheat, off the coast, has been offered at
335. to 345. per qr., cost, freight, and insurance ; and one or
two cargoes have, we believe, changed hands on those
terms.
Flour has crested little attention ; the nominal top price
of town-made has, however, been supported, and good qua-
lities of foreign have not generally been parted with at
lower rates than last week.
The arrivals from abroad have consisted of 7,164 sacks
(principally from France), and 2,990 barrels from America.
The supplies of barley have not been particularly exten-
sive, only 2,141 qrs. haying been reported coastwise, and
700 qrs. from abroad, during the week. The inquiry for
tine nudting qualities has been rather active, and th 6 best
simples have been easily placed at last Monday's currency.
There has not been much doing in secondary qualities, but
sellers have manifested less anxiety to realise; and prices
were certainly quit: as high on Friday for both English and
foreign barley as earlier in the week.
Malt has moved off in small quantities at about former
terms.
The arrivals of oats from our own coast and Scotland
have been tolerably good, but from Ireland and abroad the
receipts have been decidedly small. The dealers have
throughout the week conducted their operations with much
caution, and the transactions have not been by any means
extensive. Factors have, nevertheless, shown a greater
degree of confidence than of late, and have insisted on
prices fully equal to those current on Monday last; indeed,
really tine corn could scarcely be secured on Friday at for-
mer prices.
The trifling business which baa been doing in beans and
peas has been at similar prices to those previously paid.
Indian corn talent has been held steadily, and a bargain
or two have, we believe, been closed at about former terms.
THE FOREIGN CORN TRADE.
The weather appears to have been of much the
same character since the beginning of the present month on
the continent as in this country, and we learn from the
Baltic that the chief ports were free from tee. Business
bad, nevertheless, remained in a dull state at the prin-
cipal markets, and the bargains closed for spring ship-
ment had been comparatively unimportant, owing to the
high pretensions of sellers. We are, however, inclined to
think that foreign merchants will, after a time, become
more tractable ; and we are fully convinced that, if no-
thing should occur to give as impetus to prices here,
quotations will arrange themselves abroad to our standard.