The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-27 00:00:00

immediate requirements. At Halifax trade has
ruled extremely inactive in all departments. Long
Wools sold with difficulty at a slight decline on
former rates. Stocks, however, wore lighter than
usual.
Trade in the north of Ireland this week shows a
decided. improvement. The. election excitement
has cooled down to a great extent, and from politics
pN3iple have begun to turn their attention to corn
merce. The weather, which wad very fine in the
early part of the week, has again become wet and
h,,istcrous, so that, -on all sides, apprehensions
prevail respecting the coming harvest. • One effect
of the unpropitious season is, that weavers are kept
at their looms, which, if the weather were fine, they
would desert for the fields, and that, consequently,
production is kept up at the average standard. White
Linens have been in better demand, and the manu
facturers expect higher prices for exporting goods.
Browns are in better demand in the., country mar-
kets, and the supply, also, is larger than last week.
Rates generally remain unaltered.. At Lurgan,
Bird .eye Diapers and Lawns were again
scarce and sold rapidly; and Drills, both
power-loom arid hand-loom, were in active
request. Heavy Linens are light in stocks.
and the lighter sorts are rather more plentiful
than some weeks back. The exports of
thread and linen for the week are 2,972 pkgs,
—principally to England. Having no direct com-
munication with America. our linen trade with
that market, and, indeed, also, with other mar-
kets, *is carried on through Liverpool. Yarns
continue to keep un a high figure, considering the
season, and Tow Yarns are particularly sought
after, and higher prices are obtained. The week's
export is 699 bales, and the import 360 bales
Flax comes to market in unusually small quanti-
ties, and what appears is readily bought up, with-
out, however, much chance from last week's prices
The export of flax for the week is 183 tons ; the
import 69. ii tons.
Our mercantile advises from Portugal supplyars
with some interesting, information respecting the
contract arranged by Sir Morton Pero for con-
structing the railway from Lisbon to Oporto. The
company is to be formed and to issue its shares
within six months of the signing of the contract,
and the works are to he commenced within three
months thereafter. Caution money to the amount
of 10,0001 in Portuguese Bonds is to be deposited
within a month of the date of the contract, and
another 10,0001 within a month of commencing
work, the whole to be returned alter 200,0001
shall have been expended on the line. The
length to be constructed is 204 miles, and the'
government are to- pay the company 8,8561 per
mile, or a total of 1,867,5001. The concession is for
99 years on payment of a sum equal to 14 years'
profits—such sum in no case to he less than the
total cost. The line is to be single, with width in
all respects for a double cue, and government lands,
timber, &c., are to be granted, together with mining
rights for more than half a, mile on
.eaeh'side. All
materials are to be admitted free, and no taxes are
to be levied for 30 years, except an impost of 5 per
cent. on the gross earnings, but the government
mails are to be carried without charge.
The report of the Montreal Board of Trade which
has just reached us demonstrates the prosperous
state of trade in the Canadian provincee. The
value of goods imported into Montreal during the
year 1856 was 4,030,174/. against 3 093,145/. in 1855,
being an increase of 943.0291. The arrivals from
see, during ]856, Were 222 vessels, against 1,07 in
1855, In addition to the satisfactory statement
above given, the most important results have fol.
lowed from the facilities of winter intercourse with
the West. From the close of navigation to Ist
April receipts of Flour have been nearly 80,000
barrels, almost the whole of which has gone to
supply eastern demand, and which of course
has sought this channel for the first time. The
receipts of Ashes during the past winter have
reached 7,776 barrels, of which a great proportion
had been shipped via Portland to Great Britain ;
and similar important results are shown in other
products. It is most satisfactory to note the
earlier opening of spring trade now practicable by
our route, which in consequence commands the
transit of freight for Western Canada, formerly
taken through American channels; and also that
our merchants can now attract western trade to
this city with much greater success than in former
years. The -large imports, via Portland, of all
descriptions of merchandise, show that these ad-
vantages are appreciated, and that as a winter
port for Canada that city cannot fail to attract
constantly increasing attention, while, as a conse-
quence of frequent intercourse, a valuable trade has
resulted between Portland and Montreal. The
report concludes with the 'following paragraph :
" The development of our trade with the Western
States is a subject of the greatest importance, and
your Council strongly urge the necessity of pro-
viding regular means of transit for freight to
Chicago and other western points, without which
no effort can be made to divert from its present
channel the vast trade which our position entitles
us to control via the St. Lawrence. From various
causes our route has this year attracted more
attention abroad, and your Council earnestly hope
that the opportunity which now presents itself for
the extension of our commerce, will not be lost by
our neglecting to afford those facilities which are
quite within our control, and the disregard of which
has so long strengthened our competitors."