The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-23 00:00:00

REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE DURING

TILE PAST WEEK.

(From the .Nark Lane Express.)
BRITISH. -

Though the barometer has gradually receding
for some days past, and the weather has at times been dull,
no rain worth naming appears to have fallen in any part of
the country. Harvest-work has been actively pursued in
the northern and backward districts, and, with the exception
of a few patches of beans, the crops are generally secured
in England. That the result of the harvest, as a whole, is
favourable, cannot bo doubted; in some districts the yield
may perhaps not have proved quite equal to expectation,
hut with very few exceptions the growers express them-
selves satisfied as well with the quality as the quantity of
the grain. The only subject of complaint is the very low
range of prices of all kinds of agricultural produce : very
good qualities of red wheat have bec:t sold at some of the
markets in the agricultural districts this week at 335. to
345., and really fine parcels at 355. to 365. per qr. Unre-
munerative as these rates must unquestionably be, farmers
have supplied the markets rather freely, which we regard
as a strung proof of distress among the cultivators of the
soil ; fur it can scarcely be imagined that, unless driven by
pecuniary pressure to realise they would be disposed to
part with their produce freely at the terms now current,
more especially as the quality and cmadition of the new
wheat are so fine as to offer strong inducement to hold.
The trade has remained in a very dull state at all the
leading provincial markets held since our last, and there
arc no symptoms at present of the downward movement
being checked.
Ihe arrivals of breadstuffs front abroad have not been
particularly large, but fair stocks are still held at most of
the principal ports, which have been rather pressingly
offered; and there has thus been more or less competition
between the sellers of English and foreign, which has given
buyers an opportunity to purchase cheaper than would
otherwise have been the case. The decline has been quite
as great at the large consuming towns as at the markets in
the rural districts.
At Liverpool, on Tuesday, great difficulty was experienced
in effecting sales of wheat, and a reduction of ld. to 2d. per
701bs. on the rates current on that day week was generally
submitted to, on old u well as new wheat. Later in the
week there was rather less anxiety to realise, and on Friday
prices were not lower than the preceding market-day. The
arrivals of flour from America exceeded 2h,000 barrels from
the Sth to the kith inst.

The Yorkshire markets have beta liberally supplied with
home-grown wheat. At Hull on Tuesday the quantity on
sale was more than the demand could clear utf, and all
kinds of new were quoted at 2.. to as. per qr. lower than on
. .

that day siestraight.
The reports from Leeds are of a similar character, and at
Bristol, Birmingham, and other largo markets in that
direction the fall has been from Is. to Is. per qr.
The accounts in regard to the state of the potato crop arc
still of a very conflicting nature. In some parts of York-
shire, where this root is extensively cultivated, the disease
is said to prevail to a much greater extent than last year,
and many of the larger growers in the neighbourhood of
the metropolis give a similar report. The real extent of
the mischief will not be ascertained until the main crop
shall have been dug ; our own belief is that the late sorts
will be found to have escaped better than the early kinds,
and that the loss will not prove so serious as many appear
to apprehend. Meanwhile the markets in all parts of the
kingdom ate being abundantly supplied with potatoes, and
the low rates at which they are thing forced off naturally
cause a very large consumption of this article of food, by
which the demand for bread is sensibly affected.
Our letters from Scotland speak well of the progress made
with harvest; in the Lothians the crops arc nearly. secured,
and in the northern districts the work was being vigorously
carried on, tho weather having been as auspicious for eat-
ing and carting as could possibly be desired. Under these
circumstances, the dull accounts from the south had hail
considerable influence, and the trade was heavy both at
Edinburgh and Glasgow on Wednesday, more particularly
tor wheat. The potato-murrain seems to prevail in Scot-
land more extensively than last year, and some of the ac-
counts state that the dcatructiou is likely to be nearly as
great as in 11146; but these reports require confirmation.
The advice' from Ireland do nut speak so despondingly
about potatoes as might have been expected, considering the
increasing complaints on this side of the Channel. In the
southern parts of the island there is, we are informed, com-
paratively little blight; and though the accounts from the
north are less favourable, they are by nomeans of an alarm-
ing character. The corn harvest was meanwhile making
tepid progress, and the result was expected to prove very
satisfactory. Now oats of fine quality were coming forward
to the different markets rather freely, and prices of all kinds
of grain had continued to tend downwards.
The arrivals of wheat coastwise into the port of Looks
have been rather liberal this week, 6,470 VS. having hem
reported; in addition to this supply, a considerable quantity
has been received per railway, and there has competsently
been a good deal of pressure on the market.
The offers from Lincolnshire, Cambridgeddm, awl that
neighbourhood have been sufficiently monwwww• the hot
week or two, to influence the prices, and to interfere with
the sale of the Essex and Kent supply. Very good quali-
ties of Lincoln red wheat (weighing 62Ibs. to b3lbs.) have
sold this week at 365. to 3,5. per qr. delivered here, which
is cheaper than any previous sales.
The quantity brought forward from Essex and Kent since
Monday has been comparatively small, and factors have
consequently been unwilling to accept lower terms. The
little business done on Wednesday was at precisely similar
rates to those current in the beginning of the week, but on
Friday it was found impossible to make progress at former
rates, and at the close of the week some of the wheat dis-
played on the Essex stands on Monday remained undis-
posed of.
The arrivals from abroad have been quite moderate, only
6,146 qrs. having come to hand during the week ending this
(Saturday) evening. The falling off in the supplies of
foreign wheat has tailed hitherto to have any influence on
prices, and purchasers have experienced no difficulty in
buying at former terms. The town millers appear to have
still some quantity on hand, and hardly any country demand
has bees experienced ; the transactions have consequently
bees es quits a retail scale, and quotations have undergone
no cheep requiring notice. A change of weather would
probaMy cause an increased demand for old wheat, as there
can De no doubt that the long continuance of a dry atmo-
sphere has allowed the new English to be manufactured
with a relatively much smaller mixture of old than would
be required if the condition of the former should fall off.
Nothing of the slightest interest has been done in floating
cargoes of wheat; the arrivals off the coast have been un-
important, and prices have in • great measure become
nominal, for red Polish Odessa 30s. per sr., cost, freight,
and insurance, has been asked, but the highest bid has not
exceeded 29a. per qr.
The town millers were not quite unanimous relative to
the top price of town-made flour on Monday, but it has
since been lard at 375. per sack. This decline has not
influenced the value of other kinds, and fresh country
household, as well as superior qualities of French and
American Sour, have brought quite as much mousy as last
week.
Barley of home growth has come sparingly to hand, and
the 'mesh has abroad have been suite trivial. The few
lots Maw lath& forward from Essex and Kent have
bean endly pissed, sad prices were quite as high at the
elan as they were in the beginning of the week. Foreign
lee lees taken to a moderate extent for grinding at
tome, say 21s. to 2211. for light, and 225. to 245. for
good bane ago
We lave no improvement to report either in the demand
or the value of malt.
The neeipts of oats have been smaller than in any
=week for some time past ; and the prevailing
is, that the arrivals will for • while be mo-
dgeate. The teed supply, including foreign, has amounted
to ealy 13,101 rem this week, though the wind has been
neslieW, and Ikeda* htherable for vessels on passage
hem the Palikk Oa Waimea, a fair extent of bawler
ems Mae is hedge eels, more especially Russian; and an
edema of ft per qr. was In partial instances realised.
Oa idly the eperadowe were more circumscribed; but
the Impeothmeet noted was sot only well maintained_ but
any @ellen Ewa any farther enhancement, to which cir-