The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-13 00:00:00

THE 1 OREIGN CORN TRADE.

(From the iforA-tane Erpress.)

The advice. from the Baltic inform us that most of
the vessels had finished loading, and had taken their depar-
ture, and that the shipping season being over very little
bad been dons in the grain trade.
The Dantaic reports state that hardly a bargain had been
closed during the preceding week, and that prices had be-
came in a great measure nominal. The last sales of old
wheat had been at 665. to 68s. per qr. free on board; whilst
the new which had come forward had sold at irregular
rater, varying from 555. up to 63a. per qr. free on board, the
latter being for fine lots weighing •591bs. to 60Ibs. per bushel.
The shipments in November had amounted to only 38,830
qrs., of which 26,750 bad been: for England. The quality
of the new wheat continued to be much complained of; and
that this was not without reason may be readily conceived
by the weights quoted for new. The stock in granary was
estimated at 40,000 qrs., consisting for the most part of in-
ferior unsound qualities.

From Stettin we have letters of Wednesday's date. The
weather having become milder, it wu intended to make an
attempt to break the ice, so as to allow the laden Tema;
lying in the harbour to put to sea. There was not at the
moment much doing is wheat, but holders were firm, and
previous prices had been tolerably well maintained.
From Greifswald and Anclam we have similar accounts.

At Rostock, on Monday last, there was not much doing
in wheat; the dull tone of the English advice, had begun
to have an influence on the minds of holders, and the ten-
dency of prices had been downwards. The weather had
been very , and the river had been covered with ice ;
but a thaw having set in the previous day, it was hoped
that the few vessels caught in the ice would be set free, and
be able to proceed to their destination. Good 61Ibs. to
1321b5. new wheat, deliverable in spring, might then have
been bought at a price not to stand 111 more than Gip. per
qr., free on board. Barley had come sparingly forward,
■nd was still worth 345. to .1.55. per qr. The supplies of
oats, rye, and peas had been perfectly insignificant.

The Hamburg advice., on Tuesday, report a change in
the weather, and a partial reopening of the river naviga-
tion. The demand for wheat—after having been very lan-
guid for a time—had improved, a few purchases had been
made for French account. Fur 681bs. red, G3a., andlbs.,
655. per qr. of 480Ibs. bad been paid. Wahrea wheat,
weighing 60Ibs. per bushel, had not been offered below 745.
per qr., free on board. In spring corn there had been less
doing than previously ; and prices of barley had tended
downwards, 531 b,. Danish having been offered at 355. per
qr., free on board. Oats were also dull, and somewhat
cheaper; but good 39Ibs. Danish had been held steadily
at 235. 6d. per qr., free on beard. The demand for beans
which had previously been very lively, had subsided, and
ticks from the Elbe were then obtainable at 455. per qr.,
free on board.

la the Dutch markets prices have tether given way of
late; and at Rotterdam, on Monday, white Zealand wheat
was decidedly easier to buy. Other articles had also tended
downwards ; and fair tick beans were then offering at 41s.
to 425. per qr. free on board.

From Belgium we learn the supplies of home-grown
corn had not sufficed for the consumption, and that prices
of wheat had consequently advanced. That the last har-
vest gave but an indifferent return in that country cannot
be doubted.

The most recently received advice, from France state
that prices of wheat and flour bad undergone an important
advance at the principal markets. At Paris, en Wednes-
day, as much as 100 franca per sack was paid for tine flour,
being the highest point yet attained. The stock of flour
on band amounted to only 13,8.55 metrical quintals. The
upward movement appears to base extended to all the
northern markets. At Bcrg the rise, on Wednesday, was
equal to nearly 51. per sack; and a similar improvement
had taken place at Lisle.
Letters from Marseilles of the 2nd inst. inform us tha
about 280,000 qrs. of wheat had been received at that port
in November. From the more distant places the accounts
report a continued demand for wheat, principally on French
and Italian account.

Letters from Odessa, dated November 25, state that of
the enormously large shipments made from thence, compa-
ratively little had been for Great Britain. The inquiry
bad been active during the week, and abaut 65,000 qrs. had
been taken, principally for the Mediterranean. The rater
last paid had been 38s. for Ohirks, and 355. to Os. per qr.
free on board, for Polish. Vessels were scarce, and freights
were still rising, as much as 16.55. per ton having been paid
for tallow.

By the molt recent advices from America, we :earn that
shipments of breadltuffs on an extensive scale were still
being made for Europe. There had been a general disposi-
tion on the part of holders to realise; and the export de-
mand having rather slackened, prices had slightly receded
at the principal pers.

RAFFAELLE'S SPOSALIZIO.—The reason why the
ring is placed on the third finger of the right hand of the
Blcsmd Virgin in !Laselle's Sposalizio" at Milan, and
in Clhirlandaio's fresco of the same subject in the Santa
Croce, at Florence, is to be found iu the tact that the right
hand has always been considered the hand of power or
dignity, and the left howl of inferiority or subjection. A
married woman always wears her ring on the third finger
of the left hand to signify her subjection to her husband.
But it has been customary among artists to represent the
Blessed Virgin with the ring on the right hand to signify
her superiority to St. Joseph, from her surpassin.t dignity
of Mother of God. Still she is nut always represented so,
for in Beato Angclico's painting of the marriage of Mary
and Joseph she receives the rine on her left hand. See
woodcut in Mrs. Janteson's Legends of Madonna.- p.
170. In the Marriage of the Blessed Virgin, by Vanloo,
in the Liuvre, she also receives the ring on the left hand.
—From " Notes aid Queries."

TILE SON OF Tit: EMPEROR OF HAYTI. —This
young gentleman has recently arrived in England from
France, having travelled under the name of l'4l. Dalval. He
is described as a most intelligent end gentlemanlike per-
son, and has been sojourning for a short time at the fashion-
able watc ring•placc at Torquay. His object in visiting this
country is said to be to complete his education, for which
purpose he will shortly proceed to Dawlish, and place him-
self under a clergyman of that place. H. 1/rival's father
is the son and heir of Faustin Saukuque, whose imperial
character, long caricatured by the French press, has just
been recognised by the admission of his name, with idil
style and title, to the courtly pages of the Atm:nisch de

OXFORD, WORCESTER, AND WOL'ERITAMPTON
RAILWAY.—The new arrangement for conveying passen-
gers by this line is now compiete, and trains row proceed
direct from; Oxford to Wolverhampton. The London and
North Western Company have undertaken to work the
line.