The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-14 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE

We take the following epitome of the commercial
intelligence from the latest Melbourne Price
Current :
This being the middle of the Australian winter or rainy
season, the roads are all but impassable, traffic with the
interior is nearly suspended, and trade in Melbourne is chiefly
confined to the supply of local wants ; there is, consequently,
very little change since the date of our last circular (per
Sardinian), June 23. This season the rains have been
unusually heavy, and the roads have been worse than last year.
There is now also more employment for carters, in connection
with puddling-machines, quartz-crushing, and conveyance of
machinery, so that the competition for the carriage of merchandise
is greatly 'diminished. The consequence has been that cartage, as
compared with the rates prevalent at the same period last ycar,has
advanced about 20 per cent. This, of course, has further
restricted operations, and we regret to report that the market
for a month past has been unprecedently dull. At the same
time, however, it is an undoubted fact that stocks on the
diggings are low, and the storekeepers are forced to send orders
to complete assortments. During the last fortnight some slight
impetus has thus been given to business ; and it is fully
expected that, in about six weeks, a strong trade will com-
mence. Some alarm has been felt on account of competition
from Adelaide by way of the Murray river. This competition,
however, has operated to a very limited extent; it can only last
during the winter months, and so long as the roads are in bad
order. With good roads, Melbourne will fora long time command
the trade of the gold fields ; and railways, it is to be hoped, will,
in a tew years, connect this city with the Murray, and the vast
southerta interior of the Continent. The past week having
been broken upon, as far as business was concerned, by the
holidays appointed to celebra e tho anniversary of the separation
of Victoria from New South Wales, and to commemorate the
peace, very few transactions of any magnitude occurred ; and
the business of the day indicates, if anything, a slight down-
ward tendency in the prices of most articles of import. Still,
as holders are generally firm, and commercial affairs healthy,
we do not consider ourselves justified in reducing our quo-
tations.
' "

-171QUORS Brandy has advanced a shade, and is firm. The
next arrivals from England will bring in considerable ship-
ments of the new vintage ; but little change, either in advance
or decline, is anticipated. A sale is reported of Dennis Mounie
and Co 's case brandy at 325, to arrive. Sales of rum have
been affected at prices quoted. Nicholson's gin, in bulk, is
somewhat scarce, and the price is maintained. Lowndes's Did
Tom is still unsaleable. Whisky is declining; large shipments
being offered in this market. The stocks of Geneva are low,
and prices firm. Wines continue without Change; the quo-
tations for the light summer descriptions are a course nominal,
no sales having been made. Bulk beer continues dull, more
,es.per_ially porter. Bottled beer of inferior brands is far from
lively. Ales have the preference of sale; a sale of Alsopp's,
bottled by Friend, at 3s is reported. A parcel of Byass's,
two.thirds porter and one-third alp, has changed hands at 12s.
A sale of Harper's porter has been cflecteql at 12s. A large
,quantity of bulk porter has been bottled here for the "ivrtgings
trade, which affects the imported article.

TunaCco : Stacks being large, this article is dull of sale, and
held for our quotations. Considerable arrivals aro reported.
Any quantity forced on the tuar4et, Would not realise the
_ .

prices quoted, Good Havana cigars have come in more freely.
The best brands are saleable.

GROCERIES, &c: Dried apples have been sold at Pd,
currants at Is, and Turkey pulled figs at 83. Coarse Liverpool
salt has been offered at £4 10s on the wharf. The pi ices of
sugars are altogether nominal. The feeling of the market has
been tried several times by the offer of portions of cargoes at
auction; but the trade have shown no eagerness to buy. The
arrivals of tea have been excessive. It is believed that lower
prices than those quoted will have to be submitted to. Thero
are no transactions iu oilmen's stores. Candles are slightly on
the decline; a sale of Hale's is reported at is 4d for a consi-
derable parcel. _ _ _

FLOUR continues nominal. The White Swan arrived from
Adelaide, brings none, holders there not being at present
disposed to ship. Large arrivals are expected from the west
coast of America, heavy indents being known to have been
effected. Low prices will probably, therefore, rule for some
time to come. There has been a great demand for seed barley,
hut this is now ceased. There are large stocks of rice, but
importers are holding on the expectation of a great demand for
the Chinese on the diggings when the state of the roads admits
of a recommencement of traffic.

PnovisioNs : Cheese of good quality maintains its price. A
sale has been made of a parcel of prime Cork butter, at is 4d,
but as a large proportion of the stock of Cork butter now on
hand is not of first quality, our quotation of 1 s 4d is above the
value of the bulk of that on hand. A sale of Irish mess pork
is reported at £5 10s per barrel. Lower prices generally are
expected to rule in the market. In many articles colonial
produce now competes with imported. Stocks generally are full.
METALS, generally, remain as last quoted. Staffordshire
iron has declined, and sales have been 'effected at £l5 10s.
Sheet lead and lead piping, being in demand have advanced,
and sales of the former have transpired at £32. There is an
increasing demand for lead piping, in consequence of the
requirements for water works. Large sizes, in good condition,
are very saleable at higher rates than:those quoted ; some sizes
realise £36 to £3B.

TIMBER : As noticed in our last, American lumber is on
the rise, and we now report sales at £l7 taken from the wharf,
and consider prices firm, and still advancing. There is still
speculation in lumber,

SorT GOODS : Are like most other articles of import, very
dull of sale, though our quotations are maintained, sales having
been made at those rates. In consequence of long voyages, a
large proportion of goods intended for the present winter
season arrived fully a month too late.

SUNDRIES : Some demand has arisen during the last few
days for wool bags, which have found buyers in quantities at
5s ; and a sale of New Zealand rope has been effected at our
highest named rate, £55. Ladies' best and medium cashmere
boots are much wanted. English malt is worth 12s to 13s per
bushel. Collins's American picks, if genuine, are worth 50s
to 55s per dozen. Hollow ware, well assorted, is worth list
price. Saws, cross.cut and pit, are dull of sale. American
resin is also dull. Cannister gunpowder, assorted, (2 Ib) is
worth 20 per cent. on invoice. Three-bushel bags are dull of
sale, the demand having ceased. English coal is sold at £3 to
£3 3s in the Bay, and Newcastle, N.S.W., £2 to £2 ss.
Wool,: Since our last per Sardinian, on the 23rd ultimo,
we have no change to report in this market. The supply still
continues to be on a limited scale, and not adequate to the
present demand. Prices, which are firm, still rule at our last,
viz.:—

For scoured wool .. 19d to 22d per lb
„ handwashed and slips do.. 14d to 16d
The quantity shipped has been as follows :
From Oct. 10, 1855, to
June 14, 1856
From June 14 to 28

value
11,054,6921bs £714,526
78,440 4,395

Total ... 11,133,1321bs £718,921
TALLOW : This article has experienced a further decline,
and prices now, according to our last English advices, show a
margin for the shipper. We have consequently had some
demand for beef tallow for shipment at our quotations. Prices
are now ruling as follows, viz. ;
For beef tallow £35 per ton
~ mixed do , £3B
17
„ mutton do fit for candle making £45 to £4B
HIDES still continue in good demand ; but, in the absence
of a vessel offering for freight of the same, only a few are
offering. Our quotations are : _ _

For country salted
„ town cured

12s to 143 each
15s 6d to 16s each.

NORTHERN TEYIES.---LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.

MR. GADSBY'S LECTURES ON EGYPT AND

THE BIBLE

The first of a series of three lectures on Egypt and the Bible
was delivered in the Hope Hall Hope-street, last night, by
.Mr. 'Gadsby, author of Wanderings in the East. There
was a numerous attendance. The chair was taken at half-pas;
seven o'clock by William Brown, Esq., M.P.
The Chairman said : Ladies and Gentlemen, it is usual
upon such occasions as this, when the chairman assumes his
seat, to make an address to the audien'e, telling them what
they may expect. But on the present occasion I feel that I
have very little to say, for Mr. Gadsby, whom. I shall
immediately introduce to you, will be able to explain to you
the usages, the customs, and the habits of Egypt and the
Eastern world, and will show you in how many cases they are,
strictly conformable to what has been handed down to us in
sacred writ. I feel, therefore, that I should be occupying your
time very unnecessarily if I said anything further than simply
to introduce Mr. Gadsby to your notice, who, I am sure, will
deliver a lecture which will be useful to us, interesting, and of
importance, particularly to the, rising generation. I may remark
that I am sorry not to see more of that generation here
to-night, because Eastern stories make such a deep impression
upon children as to the importance and truth of the Bible,
and early impressions are so• very lasting, that I cannot but
regret not to see a greater number of young people here
to-night. I shall not now occupy your time any longer, and
beg to. introduce to your notice the lecturer of the evening,
Mr. Gadsby. (Applause.)
Mr. Gadsby then proceeded to deliver his lecture. He was
accompanied on the platform by twenty persons arrayed in
Oriental costumes, and representing the principal characters

and classes of the East—the Turk, the Jewish Rabbi, the
Nubian slave, the Egyptian guide, the Albaniau, the Bedouin,
the Arab of the better cless, the whirtling dervish of Con-
te Jewish woman, the Druse

stantinople, the I _ _
with the " exalted horn," and many other remarkable speci-
mens of the Scriptural :,rid Eastern ,world. The lecturer
pursued the plan of bringing forward one character at a time,
and expatiating upon it in all its relations, exhibiting and
explaining every weapon, garment, implement, ornament, or
whatever else was immediately connected with it. He stated

at the outset that his principal object was to illnstrate the
usages and characters mentioned in the Bible, to show how
strictly all the researches of antiquarians and travellers bore out
the correctness of all the sacredly recorded descriptions, and to
throw a light upon many passages which might seem ambi-
guous to those not acquainted with the East. The lecture
was merely conversational, and explanatory of the several
objects and characters exhibited to the audience, and without
the slightest attempt at eloquent description or verbal adorn-
ment of any kind. It was a familiar, intelligible, and
interesting explanation of usages and objects which are in
themselves always interesting to an an audience. The garb
of the Turk, of the Jewish rabbi, and of the slave, occupied
a leading portion of the lecture. The symbolic robes,
ornaments, and inscriptions connected with the office of rabbi,
he described and explained at considerable length, and, in
doing so, made more clear many passages of the Bible. In
describing the condition arid habits of the slave, he clearly

explained the meaning of allusions in the Bible to'the eyes of
the servant being fixed upon the hand of the master, and the
allusion which has puzzled many readers in the bobk of Job to
the servant desiring the shadow. It would be utterly impos-
sible to give anything like an outline, or intelligible abstract,
of a lecture, almost every sentence of which was illustrated by
some exhibited object, and dependant partly for its intelligi-
bility upon the object displayed. It is but justice to. the
lecturer to say that, without making the least effort at grace of
style, or even impressiveness of language, be continued, by
easy familiar descriptions, to keep the attention of the audience
completely occupied during the whole of a long discourse. He
was loudly applauded at the conclusion, as well as during
several passages of the lecture.
The second lecture of the course is to be delivered this
evening.