The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-24 00:00:00

factory feeling prevails as to the future prospects of the

There are a few prominent causes why this should

be so :—the restorat-on of peace, accompanied by commer-
cial difficulties of no ordinary magnitude,--one of the finest

prospects for next harvest we probably ever had at a corres-
ponding season of the year, and the certainty that we shall
receive liberal supplies of foreign breadstuffs the next few
months. Besides these, potatoes have contributed much to
lessen the consumption of flour by the labouring classes,
being good, cheap, and plentiful—indeed, more so than in
any spring since 1844. It is true we have at present at this
port only moderate, or indeed small stocks of really good
wheat and flour, but we hold largely of secondary qualities
of both articles, and of Indian corn, which mast seek a vend
somewhere. Quotations may be considered as almost nomi-
nal for each article of the grain market.
The Lightning, whose arrival off Queenstown
from Melbourne was announced this morning, has
brought dates to the 28th September, and 12,000

ounces of gold. The Blaclfwall, which left
Melbourne for London a fortnight before the

Lightning, has on board 87,281 ounces, and the
Emma, which left for Liverpool on the _ 13th

December, has about 40,000 ounces. The advices

by the Lightning report the loss of the splendid
ship Schomberg, off Cape Otway, on her passage
from this port to Melbourne. All the passengers
and crew are said to have been saved. The report
of the loss, however, appears to be based on very
slight authority, and strong doubts are entertained
as to the truth of the rumour. The commercial

accounts in the papers now before us are of a very
satisfactory character. The Money Market was
remarkably easy, and there was no falling off
in the receipt of gold dust. The demand for
labourers was good, particularly for those ac-
quainted with agricultural pursuits, and the ten-
dency of wages was towards an advance. The
price of gold had declined to 21 14s. 6d. per oz. In
Melbourne, flour was moving a little, but holders
were by no means eager. With reference to money
matters a private circular says :
We negociated several loans last week at former quota-
tions, viz., one on a first-class freehold property at 10 per
cent. ; and others at short dates at from 20 to 2.5 per cent.
interest. There is a steady demand for money at the above
rates, and just now a choice of good freehold securities in
the market. Investments to a considerable have also come
under our notice this week in gas debentures, at par, with
current interest added ; and in Bank of Victoria Shares at
211. or 61. premium.
The same authority, in reference to general
butiness, says :
Business in general, this week has been a repetition of the
last; operations are very limited owing to the heavy transac-
tions of the past month. We do not think it is likely to
revive until after the new year, In flour nothing has been
done this week to guide the market. We understand that
the mill quotations next week will be £32 per ton, although
the largest holders are offering flour at auction on Monday,
but it will not probably fetch over £3O per ton. Brandy is
very dull of sale, and prices are looking down, owing to
large shipments advised per Lightning. The advices per
next mail will have great intiuence upon this article. We
have not heard of any transactions of importance in spirits.
The demand for wine is less. Claret is very dull
of sale. Hops have greatly declined in price owing to large
shipments expected, and advices from England of an excel.
lent crcp. They have been effered at 2s 6d. There is no
rice in first hands. All arrivals have changed hands imme-
diately, at our quotations. For ale and porter prices remain
firm. Large quantities of bottled beer have come to hand
from the sister colonies ; but as there is very little expected
from home, we doubt not the price will go higher. For
hams and bacon prices are firm. Owing to the superior
manner in which American hams and bacon are put up for
keeping during the warm weather, they command now the
attention of purchasers for the interior in preference to the
English package, as they are not so much liable to be
affected by the heat.
From Sydney we learn that there was an active
business going on, and large speculations were
entered into in breadstuffs, tobacco, spirits, wines,
ke. The last report of the Sydney Branch of the
Royal Mint, exhibits a continued rapid increase,
both as respects the receipts of gold dust and the
issue of sovereigns—the former being 25,795 oz ,
the latter 50,000 sovereigns. This shows an
increase upon the largest weekly amount of gold
dust imported into the Mint of 2,4Y3 ounces, and of
sovereigns 5000. The greater portion of this gold is
transmitted from Melbourne and Geelong, between
which ports and Sydney, a systematic gold trade.
which promises to be a most extensive one, is now
well organised. One grave difficulty however, still
remains in the way of placing this most important
branch of our commercial transactions with the
sister colony on a perfectly satisfactory footing
Sir Charles Hotham still refuses to proclaim the
Sydney sovereign to be a legal tender in Victoria;
and hence the banks refuse to receive our coinage.
The consequence is, that the bulk of the bullion
bought by the Sydney agents at Ballarat, and the
other productive diggings of the South, is paid for
in British coin, drawn from Sydney, No evil, be-
yond a temporary inconvenience, resulting from
Sir Charles's persistance in his present inexplicable
policy, was anticipated ; for whilst the Victorian
diggers know that they can secure immediate
payment for their gold at the Sydney Mint, at the
rate of 41. to 41. 3s. per ounce, there is every
prospect of transactions between the two colonies,
and the operations at the Mint, being increased to
an amount whose extent it is impossibld.lo pre-
dict.

With reference to trade at Adelaide, wequote
the following report from the circular of Messrs.
Bull and Cowie :
The chief feature in trade claiming attention this week
is the further decline in flour, which since last week's
quotation of £3B has been freely sold during this at £3O,
and within the last three days several lots have changed
hands for export at the latter figure for immediate ship-
ment. For later delivery the latter quotation would not
be maintained. The new wheat is coming forward rapidly
and in better grinding condition than most of the earlier
lots. The prices given during the week have varied from 8s
6d to 108 per bushel for present me, but lower rates have
to be submitted to for delivery during the month.
One of the vessels dispatched about seven months
ago for breadstuffs to Chili came up yesterday,
but of her cargo only 400 tons is flour, and
we understand it will not come upon the market but
be forwarded to 'the other colonies. Bran is dull at
Is 31 per bushel. For hoisefeed, barley finds a preference
over other grain. Potatoes are offering abundantly at WI.
to 121. for new, and for old it is difficult to fix a price, it
being dependent upon condition. There is more business
doing in liquors, the late warm ',weather as well as the ex-
port trade having stimulated the demand, and both wines
and malt liquor are more saleable. Company's Mills,
Thursday, December 13, 1855.—Fine flour, 271. per ton ;
second ditto, 251. per ton ; thirds ditto, 231. per ton ; pol-
lard, 2s. per bushel; bran, ls. per bushel; wheat bought at
Bs. to 93. per bushel.
During the past week there has been rather
more ease in the Money Market in London, and
Mr. William Avens. in his usual weekly circular,

remarks :
The discounthouses have not been doing a large business,
nor has the bank Leen pressed for accommodation, from
which it i sinferred that the trade of the country is not only
sound, but that it will not, when peace is restored, require
so much temporary capital as seems to be even now suspected,
inasmuch as large reserves, put by in time of distrust, will
be brought into active employment. At the same time it is
considered by cautious and experienced men, that the present