The Express.
London, England, 1851-11-18 00:00:00

REVIEW OF THE CORN TRADE DURLNO

THE PAST WEEK.

Tram the Mariam.* Erpreu.
BUITISH.

Though the supplies of grain abroad have, since
our last, been moderate at most of the ports on the coast,
and the arrivals into London not by any means large, suffi-
cient has come to hand to produce an influence on the trade,
and to strengthen the belief—generally entertained—that,
whatever may be the range of prices here, supplies to some
extent will continue to reach us from one quarter or the
other. This notion is shared alike by producers and toe-
sumer& ; it lessens the confidence of the former, and renders
, merchants, millers, and dealers unwilling to hold large
necks: snider thew circumstances, the desire to realise is
• generally greater tban the disposition to bay ; aad to de-
scribe the transactions of one week is little more than
meting what what has taken place during that immediately pre-
ceding.
Since we last addressed our readers nothing has occurred
affording scope for remark; and speculations as to the pro-
bable future are almost equally uninteresting. Thus far
there is nothing in the position of affairs to lead to the con-
clusion that any material change will take place in the gene-
ral tone of the grain trade during the remainder of the pre-
sent year. Buyers are mostly averse to entering into fresh
engagements at this season; whilst farmers, in order to pro-
vide the acedful to meet Christie.* rents, Ike., /aurally
keep the markets well supplied ; we cannot, therefore, anti-
cipate much improvement, either as regards greater activity
or increase in prices. until after the turn of the year; and
what may subsequently occur must depead so much upon
circumstances, of which nothing can as yet be knowp, that,
it would be useless as well as impolitic, to trentureillis prog-
nostications. We have therefore no choice but to confine
our remarks to the simple record of what has actually
taken place during the week.
The somewhat subdued tone of the advice, from Mark-
lane. of Monday's date, tended to check the alight disposi-
tion which had previously manifested itself at some of the
leading provincial markets to advance prices.
The IWCOIIIIII from the agricultural markets are aot so
uniformly dull. In those districts where wheat-sowing has

made the greatest progress, the supplies from the growers
have increased, and the tendeneyof prices has consequently
been downwards ; but in some localities the deliveries have
scarcely sufficed to satisfy the demand, and the turn has
been the other way; the variation either up or down has,
however, been so slight as hardly to deserve notice—and,
taking the kingdom collectively, quotations of wheat may
be said to be very nearly the same as they were at this time
last week.

-„-.
The weather has continued highly auspicious for all kinds
of oat-door work, which has consequently been steadily
proceeded with, and wheat-sowing is likely to be finished in
• very satisfactory manner. We have nothing new to add
to what we said last week respecting potatoes. On the
whole, we are disposed to think that this root is keeping
better than anticipsted, and as yet there ere no symptoms
of the scarcity and high prices it was expected would have
been caused in consequence of the disease.
From Scotland we learn that though farmers had been
busily engaged in the fields, the principal markets had been
well supplied with corn.
The advices from Ireland report • falling off in the sop-
plies of oats, and a small rise at several of the chief markets
in the value of that grain. The yield is said to be less
abundant than ass believed at harvest, which had rendered
farmers unwilling to sell except at enhanced terms. Pota-
toes of good quality were still coming forward pretty freely,
owing to which the consumption of Indian corn was consi-
derably decreased. In wheat only a moderate business ap-
pears to have been done, at prices similar to those previously
current. The recent shipments of oats to the English mar-
kets would not, it was though., be followed up, unless more
favourable accounts were received to encourage consign-
ments to this side. _ _

We have again to report a small arrival of wheat coast-
wise into the port of London, only 2,796 qrs. having been
received during the week ending this (Saturday) evening.
The quantity exhibited at Mark. lane, by land-carriage
samples from the home counties, has also been very mode-
rate ; and we have had fewer offers from Lincolnshire and
Cambridgeshire than previously. The scanty character of
the supply has rendered sellers firm; and though the trade
has, on the whole, been devoid of activity, previous prices
have been well supported. There was certainly less incli-
nation to buy towards the close than in the beginning of the
week, but good qualities were not obtainable on easier
terms. The average price. have not varied much of late,
the last weekly returns for the kingdom being 365. Id.
against 365. Od. per qr. last week.
The receipts of wheat from abroad have been small,
viz., 13,403 ; added, however, to what had remained
over from last week's supply, the quantity altogether has
not been unimportant ; and we have had a fair display of
samples from on board ship. Since last Monday there has
been very little country demand for foreign wheat, and
local buyers have also conducted their purchases with much
ignition ; the operations have consequently been on a retail
wale; but importers have manifested no particular anxiety
le realise, and quotations were not lower on Friday than
ea Monday. The business done has been principally in
Dantric and Rostock wheat, the common sorts having met
with comparatively little attention. The export demand
for Polish Odessa and similar descriptions appears to have
quite subsided, and though the arrivals off the coast, from
the Black Sea, &e., have this week been small, hating
cargoes have been offered at about late rates-say 31s. 6d.
Polish Odessa, and '2ls. in
surance,
Egyptian.
per qr. cost, freight, and
Egyptian.
he millers have insisted upon fully previous prices for
flour, and where sales have been made, the extreme terms
of last week have been obtained. There has lately been an
extensive demand for fine qualities of sour Flour, and the
greater part of what was in warehouse having been dis-
weed of, toe commoner kinds have met with some atten-
tion. The stack of foreign flour on the wharves is now
very small, and the supplies which have during the week
been received from France have consequently been held fur
very full prices.
1 he receipts of homegrown barley have not been large,
ant only a small proportion of what has come to baud has
consisted of flue malting quality. The scarcity and high
price of superior sorts of Barley have caused some of the
maltsters to direct their attention to wheat, and we believe
that some purchases of low qualities of the latter have been
made down the cast coast fur the purpose of malting. At
Matk.lane no change has taken place in quotations of Bar-
ley since our last; but the ordinary samples of English
were less saleable on Friday than in the beginning of the
week. The arrivals of this grain from abroad have
amounted to 4,680 qrs., principally from Egypt. Good
Baltic grinding barley has been in steady request, and has
sold at prices quite equal to those previously current. The
supplies of malt have about kept pace with the demand,
and the brewers have experienced no difficulty in buying
atgrevious ratan
arrivals of oats coastwise have been very small, but
we have again received good supplies from Ireland and
abroad-the latter principally 'rout Archangel. The large
dealers have throughout the week conducted their opera-
tions with extreme caution, and the trade, though Grin, has
sot been by any means brisk.
The value of beans has rather tended upwards ; and as
the consumption generally increases during the winter
menthe, some further advance is deemed probable.
Peas have not excited much attention, hut the trifling
business done has been at rates quite equal to those current
on Monday hot
The demand for ladian corn has not improved since our
last ; aid, though the arrivals off the coast have been very
email, previous terms have been paid with reluctance. °s-
lats might have been bought at about 26.'. Gd., but pur-
chasers had refused to give more than 265. 3d. per qr., cost,
freight, and insurance.
THE FOREIGN CORN TRADE.
Notwithstanding the quiet state of the corn trade
here, and the almost total absence of English orders, prices
of wheat appear to have been well supported in the Baltic,
and it is certain that a real deficiency of rye, &c., exists in
the interior of Germane-. That the shortness of the rye
crop, and the extent of the potato disease, may have been
exaggerated, is probable enough; but that the yield of
these primary articles of consumption has turned out unnusu-
ally short in pare of Prussia, in Saxony, Bavaria, &c.,
eaunut he questioned. We doubt, however, whether this
a ill produce much, if any, influence here; for even if
supplies from the Baltic should wholly fail, the receipts
from other quarters would, we think, suffice to furnish all
the foreign assistance we are likely to require:
Letters from Danzig, dated llth Met. inform us that
the arrivals of wheat from Upper and Lower Poland had
been very small, and that the deliveries from the neigh-
bouring farmers had also been trifling. The transactions
had, for some days, been on a retail scale ; the most impor-
tant sale had been about .5,000 qrs., consisting partly of
new tine mixed, weighing 69 lbs. per bushel, for which 375.
per qr. had been paid, and partly of old inferior quality,
weighing only 68 lbs. per bushel, which had sold at equal
to 365. &l. per qr. Good mixed wheat was then quoted
alis. to 395., and high mixed, of 62 lbs. weight, Ha. to 425.
per qr. free on board. ltye, after a temporary depresidaisy
had again rallied, and was then worth lie. per qr.
The advice* from Stettin are of WI excited nature.
Wheat, though taken to some extent, as a substitute tear
rye, was, nevertheless, the cheapest article, spriug corn and
pulse having been bought Cu speculation and for transit
into the interior at high rates. Interior wheat was actually
.some shillings luwer than rye, and was being bought in
mix with the latter article. Buyers of barley had appeared
from distant ports, who had paid equal to 21s. for Pomera-
nian, and 2.5 i, per qr. free on board fur lickerbruck burley
of 611135. to 621bs. weight.
The accounts from Rostock are of • comparatively
quiet character • and, though the supplies had not been
large, prices kW' remained much the same as before.
New wheat, of fair quality, weighing 611 b.. to 62ibs. per
bush., was quoted 355. lid. per qr., at which price the article
had not • ready sale. Barley, of 51Ibs. to 621b5., might
have been bought at 21s. 6d. • and good breaking Peas at
245. to 2.55. per qr. free on board.
Hamburg letters of Tuesday's date state, that after a tem-
porary period of comparative quiet, an active speculative de-
mend had again sprung up, owing. partly to the exciting
tone of the advices from the interior markets. Since the
previous post day about 6,000 gm. of wheat bad changed
hands at 395. to 40s. per qr. for 601bs. quality. Spring corn
had likewise been in active request, and it was calculated
that about 15,000 qrs. of barley and oats had been bought,
partly on speculative or Prussian account,it beinganticipated
that the duty chargeable on grain in that country would
be taken of. . Danish kiln-dried barley, weighing 63 to
!A lbs. per bush., had brought 225. ; undried, 21s. 6d.
per qr. free on board. Danish oats, 38 lbs., 15s. 9d. ; and
boiling peas, 2-ss. 9d. per qr.
The accounts from Holland are not lively, and at Rotter-
dam, on Monday, new white Zealand wheat *tamely sold
so well as on that day week.
At Groningen, on the Ilth inst., there was a brisk
demand for oats, black feed, of 34 the. weight, britry
13s. 9d., and 40 lbs. Polands, 16s. 9d. per qr. free on board.
Freights were rising, and it would have been difficult to
charter for London below 2s. per qr.
From France we learn that the tendency of prices of both
wheat and flour had been rather upwards at the principal
markets. l'aris letters of the 13th inst. state that, owing to
the price of bread having been reduced one centime per
kilo, the bakers had bought flour cautiously, but that mil-
lers had bevertheless demanded extreme rates.

From the Mediterranean we have nothing new to com-
municate. Advice* from Galata, dated 30th nform tie
that considerable purchases of wheat had been Oct.,Made, with
a view of shipping to England. Indian corn was then quoted
13s. 6d. to las. per qr. free on board, and freight to the
United Kingdom was 10s. 3d. to 10s. 9d. per qr.
The advice. from America are of much the same charm-
tmpia before. Priem do not appear to have varied mate-
rially at any of the - principal markets, supplies haring
about kept pace with the demand ; the somewhat improved
accounts from hence had, however, n.ndered sellers rather
firmer. Shipments of wheat, flour, and Indian corn con-
tinue to be made week after week fur Ltritish ports, and
the clearances true. New York during the week ending
Nth ult., were 11,388 barrels flour, 14,822 bushels wheat,
and 18,002 bushels Indian corn fur Liverpool, 830 barrels
flour to London, 327 barrels to Hamburg, and 14,497
bushels Indian cora to Ireland.

The share market has been the scene of much
animation to-day, an extensive business having been
done in many stocks at a decided advance in prices,
and the market must be reported as altogether
better; and more buoyant. The chief business
has been in Midlands, rumours of favourable
arrangements between this comgany and the Loudon
and North-Western being revived. Considerable
fluctuations have taken place in the price of this
stock during the morning, but it now wears a de-
cidedly buoyant appearance, and the last figure
marked, which is the highest of all, 531, shows a
rise of more than 2 per cent. on yesterday's rate.
Nearly all other descriptions have also advanced, the
improvement being general.