Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-28 00:00:00

TIMBER,

The prospects for the timber trade at the commence- '
ment of the year, says Mr. James Houghton, in his
annual circular, were in many respects favourable ;
stocks were light, general prosperity prevailed in the
manufacturing districts, the money market was easy and
trade generally reviving'; under such circumstances a
large and profitable business. would no doubt have
ensued had not the unsettled state of political affairs on
the Continent, caused by,-and contingent on, the result
of the war inltaly, intervened, paralysing their operations
in the early part of the year. The unexpected early
termination of, the war, however, had a favourable effect"-
and a good and increased business in the latter part of
the year has been the result. 'The trade in Mahogany
has somewhat exceeded that of the= previous year, the
increase being- confined to imPorts from St. Domingo
while the supply from Cuba has been 'considerably less
than usual. The: different cargoes have generally beertl
put on the market on arrival and have met ready sale.
The stock of all kinds consists-of the late arrivals, all of
which are advertised for Sale nentweek, and will in all pro-
bability be cleared off, in which ease the market will be en-
tirely dependant on what may be on the way. The latest
sales of St. Domingo have been. at 9 13--321, 9 17-32 d;,
11 29-32 d., and. 121 d per foot, of:Cuba at 7-0., 11-82 8d:,
Bad., of. Honduras, 7 5-32 d.„ 7 5-16 d., and 7 17-32 d.,
and of Mexican at 6 17-32 d., 71d., and 7 5-16 d. per foot, of:
Havana Cedar the supplies have been on a reduced scale,.
and the consumption' limited- in ' consequence. The
stock consists of 38 logs only.. Latest sales at 44d. to_
5 21-32 d. per foot: The -importation of Pencil Cedar
has exceeded that of former years, but the absence of de-
mead for the Continent of Europe has assisted to operate
somewhat unfavourably , on the consumption, leaving a,
larger stock than usual onhanfi, the chief part of which is
but of middling quality. Latest sales, 4s. 6d., 45.,
3s. 9d.. 35., and 2s. 9d. per foot, according to quality.
The best Florida, Pencil Cedar, selected to meet the re-
quirements of every deicription of consumers, is now
regularly sent to this market, and can be had on applica-
tion. Rosewood.—The consumption of this description,
of wood has been much interfered with of late years,
through the use of Walnutwood ; there has, however,.
been more demand for it during the past year in which
4,502 planks have been imported, all of which, with the-
exception of 655. planks Bahia, just landed, have met-
ready sale on arrival, the latest sales have been of Rio at
.£ll 16s. 6d. to-. 619 7s. and Bahia at £l4 7s. to £l5 16s. 6d..
per ton. Bird Eye Maple Planks have been very little in-
quired for ; the demand will no doubt soon improve. Veneers.
are wanted ; latest sales of Planks, middling quality
at 2/d' .to 6d. per foot, (no good Planks in the
market). Veneers, lid. to 2d. per foot. Ship-
building Woods, as such, have not improved in
value, owing to the continued depression of the ship-
ping interest, but for engineering and other purposes,
a considerable quantity has been taken, hence the in-
creased consumption of Teak, Greenheart, and Pitch
Pine; the demand, however, is very languid, and the
stock of Pitch Pine heavy, and that of Teak (30,004 feet
of 'Which is African) and Greenheart very moderate, and
with an improvement in shipping would soon be absorbed.
The present value of Pitch Pine may be quoted at 20d. to
22d. per foot; African Teak, 3s. 6d. to 45., per foot; East
India, Zll to £ll 10s, and Greenheart, £8 to £8 10s. per
road calliper. Reviewing all the circumstances of the
trade, and taking into consideration the moderate stocks
remaining over, the abundance of money, the active
state of business in the manufacturing districts the pro-
bability of a peaceful policy on the part of the great
powers; of Europe, and it is to be hoped, ere long, an
improvement in shipping, there would 'seem to be a
favourable prospect for future business.

Messrs. Farnworth and Jardine say :—The year com-
menced with moderate stocks, low prices for all descrip-
tions of wood goods, a brisk trade in the manufacturing
districts, cheap money and food, giving promise of a
good consumption and an extended business. In the
month of February these prospects were fully realised,
but in March, April, and May, the effects of the Italian
war were manifest ; dialers and consumers bought
only for immediate wants, consumption was for the
time curtailed, and prices of most articles gave
way. In June and July political matters assumed
a more favourable aspect, but the imports were larger
than usual for the season of the year, and prices were
still further depressed. In August there was a marked
improvement in the demand, and the prospect of more
moderate supplies for the remainder of the season in-
duced greater firmness on the part of importers, and from
that period to the close of the season there has been a gra-
dual improvement in prices; the leading articlesbeing now
from 10 to 15 per cent. higher than at the commence-
ment of the year. The Timber trade has on the whole
been satisfactory; for, notwithstanding high prices at
the shipping ports, the very moderate freights current
the greater part of the year have enabled importers to
realise a fair invoice cost, while the operations of our
dealers have also been satisfactory. Shipowners have
been for several years, and still continue, the great-
est sufferers ; for, while the trading and manu-
facturing classes have had a profitable business,
ships have continued very much depressed, and even
now, with very favourable prospects for the general
trade of the country, the shipowner cannot calculate
upon any certain remunerative employment. We close
our statistical year with moderate stocks of all descrip-
tions of wood, cheap money, a more hopeful state of
political affairs, and unusual activity in the manufac-
turing districts, all elements favourable to a safe and
prosperous trade for the coming year, providing it be
conducted legitimately and with ordinary prudence. It
is now definitely arranged that the Timber Trade, which
has hitherto been conducted under so many disadvan-
tages at the south end of the town, shall in future be
chiefly carried on at the north, a large portion of the
brokers and dealers having secured yards on the margin

of the Canada-dock, where they purpose opening their'
offices in the month of March,-,-it its anticipated that.
these establishments will be so comptere as in' some I
measure to compentate for the expense a incurred and
difficulties experienced in removing so large and ponder-
ous a trade. It must, however, be borne in mind that
all the Canada-dock, the portion of Huskissou-dock al- • r
lotted to this trade, and the new canal docks now being
constructed, will still be insufficient, and that to some
extent shipowners will have to suffer, as heretefore, from
want of sufficient dock accommodation. ,`

The Hudson's Bay Seal Skin Cloaks and Jackets,
One Guinea each, at the New Shawl and Mantle Wart-
house, 40, Bold-street.—Shellard and Hodgson, Pro-
prietors.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. 7
Short letters are invited on matters of public interest. They
should be legibly written ()none side of the paper only.
Under no circumstances can we insert commumcations not•
accompanied by the author's real name and address, which
are required, not necessarily for publication, but as guaran-
tees of gOod faith.

,JANUARY 28, 1860. •

THE DAY'S NEWS.

In the House of Lords, yesterday, the subjects of
the cotton trade and cotton supply were brought
forcibly before their lordships, the importance of
this branch of commerce being generally admitted.
The probabilities of Africa and the British colonies,
as cotton;prodUcing countries, were canvassed,.and
the opinion generally expressed was in favour of
an increased field of culture. In course of the
same sitting, and connected with the same subject,
the slave trade way incidentally mentioned, and
condemned.

In the House of Commons, the rumour of DO
intention to annex tlte•Ceatral States of Italy to,
Sardinia, received, as, we are told, a " decide&
negative". from Lord lohn Russell. It was also
ntiznated that a convention between this country,
amhAmerica is now in progress for the purpose
of facilitating the trials.of parties accused of acts•
of cruelty on the high seas. The scandals arising
out of the publication of. the proceedings in the •
Divorce Court were made the subject of remark
and roprobatiOic.-----
The• festivity of St. Peter's chair, which took
place the other day in Rome, ranks among the
great annual solemnities of the Romish Church,
a-part of which consists in- “ chairing" the Pope
within. the walls of St. POter's ; and, this year,
the attempt was made to get np a grand public

I',

demonstration outside, on behalf of the Pontifical
occupant of that apocryphal relic. The Police
-azid—the Priests went about in the morning, '
endeavouring to raise the excitement, and even.
)suppying the lower classes with the materiel

considered necessary for getting up the show.
43k,.after all, it was a deadJailure. The Romans
were not in a state of mind to relish the event.
No one_ in Rome who' knows the real state of the
case entertains the slightest fear that the French
troops- will ever leave Rome. Even the with—
drawal of the troops to Civita Vecchia would
matter little in reality, seeing. 'that they would
still, be within two hours' railway distance of.' J.,
the City. Those who may be considered.

well informed, and capable- of forming a reliable

opinion on the sultject.sag that eight or twelve,.
thousand men, such as the Pope is supposed toy
have altogether under arms, would be insnffieienP
of themselves to keep the peace in the Papal'

States, even in their present limited extent ; and

that, if their number were equal to the task, it is
made up of such incongruous elements, that they
would need another army to keep them in any-
thing like safe working, order !
In the Neapolitan States public exasperation
has reached its utmost stretch ; and the defection
of one single regiment, it is believed, would be
sufficient to overthrow the Two Sicilies. King
Francis cannot spare one man ; while his,, of all
the Roman Catholic Powers, seems alone to. stand
at present unembarrassed—yet only seems; and
her down-trodden people are silently, but reso-
lutely, waiting the long looked for signalfrom the
same invisible, but not very mysteriotis, agents
that for a time kept the Romagnas quiet, and at
the fitting opportunity loosened the hold that
kept revolution in the leash. It is the conscious-
ness of this fact that seems to paralyse the Nea-
politan Government, and renders them totally
incapable of lifting a finger to support the totter- •
ing throne of the Holy Father. In the present
state of the great political game, this check is all
that Napoleon 111. desires. Not until that game
is advanced by sundry important moves in favour
of the universal acknowledgment of what is called•
the " popular principle,"—that is Louis Napo-
leon's game,—can the word be passed to the un
happy Neapolitans, that they are at liberty to
settle accounts with their masters—and then,--

nous verrons.

The Austrian Government suspects that an
attempt will be made, sooner or later, to wrest
the celebrated quadrilateral from its grasp; and
seems determined not to part with it either by
fair purchase or by force of arms, if it can pre-
vent it. In the meantime, powerful reinforce-
ments, and all the munitions of war, are being
poured into these great fortresses, and, at least
one of them,—Verona,—is being strengthened
in every possible way. The pretended reduction
of the war establishment, hollow as it was, has
been countermanded, and the horses of the
artillery and baggage train are now ordered not
to be sold. The Austrian suspicion is probably
not very wide of the mark ; but it is clear that
until the satisfactory adjustment of affairs. in
Central Italy, her enemies at either extremity
will not be directly attacked. But then, when
the time comes, it will simply be a question of
which of the two Francises is to be dealt with
first—he of Naples or he of Austria ? The fiat
has been recorded, that Italy must be free from
the Alps to the Adriatic ; and if Louis Napoleon'w'