The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-17 00:00:00

REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE.

Moot the Mark Lace Bairns.)
BRITISH.

Very little improvement has taken place in the
weather since our last. The temperature has been and con-
tinues more like March than May ; the nights have been
exceedingly cold, and the days dull and cheerless. That
the long continuance of ungenial weather should have given
rise to a feeling of uneasiness respecting the future can
create no surprise ; indeed, it may be regarded as rather
singular that it should thus far have had so little effect,
more especially as the seuons throughout have been of an
unfavourable character. _ _ .

We need scarcely remind our readers of the difficulties
which farmers experienced during the autumn in getting
the seed into the ground. On heavy clay lands the work
was rendered impossible, and large breadths remained tin-
WWII till the spring. During the month of March a great
quantity of rain fell, and in April there was again an ex-
cams of wet. May commenced auspiciously ; but after a
few warm bright days, the wind went .to the eastward,
and there has since been a total want of that genial warmth
so much needed at this period to bring vegetation forward.
The wheat plant, being naturally of a very hardly charac-
ter, may perhaps have received no material injury ; but it
has certainly gone back in appearance, and does not at pre-
sent wear so healthy an aspect as it did a few weeks age.
In many localities the blade has changed colour, having as-
mimed a jellowish hue ; this in May is generally considered
' an unfavourable sign, and it is tolerably certain that it will
need an unusually auspicious summer to insure a moderately
good harvest.
That this state of affairs would, under ordinary circum-
stances, have led to more or less excitement, and some rise
in prices, is highly probable ; but any disposition which
may have been entertained to enter into speculative invest-
ments has been checked by the extent of the foreign sup-
plies. Week after week, for months past, we have had
large arrivals off the coast from the Mediterranean and
Black Sea ports; these receipts prevented anything like
scarcity being experienced during the winter, when the
northern ports of Europe were closed by toe.
Latterly we have, in addition, received good
supplies from the Baltic ; and buyers have now become
so accustomed to an excess of supply over demand, that
they cannot realise the idea of a contrary state of things.
Few are, therefore, inclined to purchase beyond what they
require for immediate use. Future contingencies are but
little regarded, so long as no present scarcity is felt ; and
though it is universally acknowledged that the prospects for
the next harvest are not by any means promising, the hand-
to-mouth system of buying is inelost cases strictly adhered
to. Meanwhile a very 'arise consumption of bread is taking
Place in all parts of the kingdom ; and to provide for this
we shall probably require to import at the rate of half a
million of quarters per month in wheat and flour from this
time up to b .
The wheat trade has assumed a somewhat firmer tone at
al of the leading provincial markets in the north.
Letters from Liverpool state that stocks have not accumu-
lated there materially, the demand having been sufficiently
active to take off the greater portion of the foreign arrivals.
The dull advice* from Mark-land failed, therefore, to pro-
duce much influence, and fine American white wheat
rose Id. to 2d. per 701bs. on Tuesday. Subsequently the
firmness of holders increased, and, a further small advance
being insisted on, but there was not so much doing on
Friday as earlier in the week.
By the most recently received advicte from Scotland, it
appears that the weather bad been even more ungenial in
that part of the kingdom than with us. The discouraging
accounts fro n the south respecting the trade, and the arri-
val of a c-nsiderablo number of wheat-laden vessels from
continental ports, had, however, kept down prices; and
though great firmness was exhibited both at Edinburgh and
Glasgow on Wednesday, quotations remained the same as
on that day se'nnight.
In Ireland the value of breadstuffs seems to have been
better supported than might have been expected, consider-
ing the large arrivals which haso taken place there from
the Black Sea ports. Indian corn had rather risen than re-
ceded in value. Oats hod not come to hand very freely; but
the decline on this side had had some effect, and the article
had therefore become rather easier to buy. We are inclined
to think that some quantity of outs is at present on passnge
from Ireland, which the first shift of wind to the west-
ward will bring to hand.
We have had another very quiet week at Mark-lane.
Small as the supplies of home-grown wheat have been—
only 3,200 qrs. having been reported during the week end-
ing this (Saturday) evening—they have proved quite suffi-
cient to satisfy the demand, which has been of a strictly
retail character. The show on Wednesday consisted of
what had remained unsold the previous market day—viz ,
a few runs from Essex and Kent. The millers acted very
cautiously, but the business done was at terms quits equal
to those current in the beginning of the week. Since then
the firmness of factors has rather increased, but the demand
hos not been sufficiently active to admit of any improvement
being established; prices remained precisely the same on

Friday as before. We base not had many offers from Lin-
colnshire, the east coast shim', re continuing to prefer the
northern markets to coasign to.
The arrivals of wheat from abroad have been on •
liberal scale, 32.800 qrs. hiving come to hand. l'art of
this supply has gone direct ti the millers, who have conse•
quently had the less occasion to come into the market to
buy ; and having had little country inquiry, insperters
have found it difficult to effect sales to any extent from on
board snip : many seem disposed to land rather than give
way, and there hail been no particular anxiety to press
sales. Fair qualities of red wheat have not been offered
below 480., and for fine parcels 60a. per quarter has been
firmly insisted on.
Au improved inquiry has sprung up for floating cargoes
of Black Sea wheat arrived off the coast, and purchases are
said to have been made for Belgian account. The prices
realised have been about Is. per qr. higher then those at
which sales were forced last week; 36a. 3d. has been paid
for Polish Odessa, 375. for Odessa Ghirks, and 425. per qr.
ter Marianopoli wheat. There are still about a dozen
arrived cargoes undisposed of, though the sales have been
rather huge during the week.
We have no change to report in the value of town-made
floor. Ship samples have in some eases been parted with at
slightly reduced terms. For American flour the inquiry
has rather improved; the transactions were not exteusive
either on Wednesday or Friday, but late rates were more
easily realised, and it was partly owing to the fact that
holders were disposed to raise their pretensions that sales
were not mote important.
Barley of home growth has come to hand very sparingly ;
and this grain is evidently scarce in all parts of the king-
dom. The few lots which have appeared since Monday
have realised the terms then current; but in the absence of
supplies, quotations must be regarded as in some measure
nominal. From abroad we have had fair arrivals ; but the
scarcity of English has rendered foreign saleable at the
full terms of last week, 30e. per qr. having been paid for
good Pommeranian and similar sorts.
The transactions in malt have been on a retail scale, and
its value has undergone no change requiring notice.
The arrivals of oats coastwise have been small ; :but
17,977 qrs. from Ireland, and 24,880 qrs. from abroad, have
prevented anything like scarcity being felt. The supply
altogether bas been somewhat larger than calculated on :
the dealers, having lately bought rather freely, have shown
no disposition to follow up their purchases. On Wednes-
day the trade was by no means lively, and on Friday it was
difficult .to obtain previous prices for secondary qualities.
Should a pause now take place in the supplies, we should
probably have no further giving way ; but the market is
evidently not in a position to stand further large arrivals.
The few small lots of English beans which have come
forward have sold at about previous terms. Egyptian have
been held firmly.
In peas nothing of interest ha a transpired, and quota-
tions have remained nominally unaltered.
A steady business has been done in Indian corn; and of
the twenty-six cargoes arrived, only a couple remain un-
sold. Prices have remained much the same as they were
last week.

SHIPPING INTIILLIGSNOS.

SEABORNE MAILS.
IN . macs that the mails are pent from t►e Gement Peet-o.e.
he the ti tht —mod INI by the mciate dwtwtch.i

tray when moot a; r toui oast ; .. „,...
COLIN TICE& In General P. 44 I Port . Oa, :s
Ottlor,Londom• I despatched. ,:n.d..t.,..
I --- .
AsimrteMbyßrityockst N Every Friday Liverpool..... EasliMon
Lotierioa(hyUalted Mats.
picket) N May 17 Liverpool May 11
Anerlaa(byL.Statesok is May 25
tustralla(ria 6. alums,-
ton) ll,Joly I .
Ditto(... Marseilles) Nil uly 6
Ditto (via Cape of Goad.
(lope) N i
A rim ( West Coast) ...N „ilrd of the irtelOA 1 is,vraottt a .. lute 2s
& 'amulet* N 16,11, 24,886 of Dm.' Durt.r . May to
Verwidtia 24 hide :, .to er .1‘..,. I Southampton , May 21
Paha:nos M! 2nd of the month 'Southampton., . une 1
N.
Balinese
N. Brawl
teenos Ayres • N .nh if the month Southampton. Many It
Caps of Good Moro N 'l4th of the roma I Ply utouM .. I April 26
Cape of Opel 'lope N .. .... .. j Plymouth .. ; duct 10
Cape do Vents 1, 14th of the want'.) Plymouth .. April 26
Ceylon (see 12414)
Ceylon N 14th of the month Plymouth .. Awl 26
.3atinnol liess .2 Mot., Wad.,P4PrW Southampton. I InTli.S4
Chin IA 2ad3l7th•finvntl Southampton. Ms, 16
China (sce WM)
Canet.winuolr N.,7,1,17,24,&270f in. Dover
Constantinople M. ; 4thrtrinn ill MOM Southampton. May 21
Cont. of Europe M& N , Twice daily Dover
Egypt (see India)
Prams MN N Twice daily
()Hasher ll 4,7, 17,20,27 of m. ionthampuo. May 24
Green (see India)
Oreytown II Ind&l7thof mosth Southampton. Any 16
Hainnurg 1.4 Tuesday & Friday I London
Ilavannah ll 234 of the meat). ,Southarapton.!June I
11-illand
Ii induras 9l 17th of Joe month Southampton.' May I,:
I edls(vhttsouthamPL) 9' Itta&2&111 of moult 'Southampton May 21
UAL (via Mersedllesl N Stb4tl4thof "lona • Dover
lonian Isles (see India)
&Naas! 31 ai N Tutee daily Rob head ... Twice da,
Liaison M 7, u, 17, 827 of m. Southampton. May 24
Madeira M ,Oth of the month...,Southamptos. Way I 6
Madeira N 23rd of the month' Plymouth ... lune 2$
Malts (see India) I
Malta NI 7,17,19,27&30 of m. Dover
Mauritius (see India)
Mauritius N 14th of the month' Plymouth .. 4pril 26
M•KICO N Ind of this mouth !Southampton. June I
Nalll4o N sthlStra.3thof meal Dover . Nay 22
New Granada
Now Zealand lt; private chip .. , Various potty Cecertse
NOM MAW. l'• ithlSM23tlitif taloa" Dover May 22
Peninsula
Peru Y 2nd & 17th of moo Southampton. May 16
Port Natal N 14th of the month. Plymouth ... April 26
Sicily N ithlStSlstsef ma 'Dover
Tuscany l' Sthlsth2sthof mon Dover
Venezuela ll hatlitlithefaioriN Southampton. May 16
Van Diemen's Land (set
Australia)
Weld Indies ......- M 2adhl7thof month Southampton. May 1G