The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-17 00:00:00

THE ARMY.

In the notice of the services of the late Major• General
J. Portlock, ILE., as given in The Sun of yesterday, there
were omissions respecting two important duties which. he
performed. In early life he wa4 for many years on active
military service in Canada, and on coming home in 1824 he
was attached to the Ordnance Trigonometrical Survey, and
was chief assistant of the director, Col. (afterwards Gen.)
Colby. In the execution of that survey, particularly in
Ireland, he made through a series of years such strenuous
and successful exertfons, that his associate, Major-General
Larcom, K C. 8., now Under Secretary for Ireland, has said
of him that " no man, perhaps, ever in his own person per-
formed so great an amount of labour, both of observation
mid calculation."

STATE OF TRADE,

MANCHESTER, Feb. 16.—There has been a
better feeling in our shipping market for yarns,
consequent upon advices from Calcutta and Bombay
reporting an improvement in both those markets.
At Bombay. January 29, yarns had improved, and
cloths were ls. to ls. 6d. per piece advanced as com-
pared with
.the date of the previous mail. The
money-market was also easier, and the rate of ex-
change lower. At Calcutta, on the 28th, cloth was
ls. per piece higher, and yarns were dearer, with
an easier money-market. In consequence of these
advices there has been more business doing to-day
in alr counts of yarn for India. Shippers for the
markets of the Mediterranean have also again been
active, chiefly in water twist. Prices are firm, but
with no change in quotations. We had a better
tune in home-trade yarns, but without much change
in prices. In cloths the telegrams from India have
caused a better feeling, and there has been rather
more inquiry, but there is not much business doing.
This department of the market has been exceedingly
quiet for 10 or 14 days, and some activity may be
expected in India cloths if manufacturers do not
put up their prices too mach. Generally they seem
inclined to stand out for a considerable rise on first
receipt of the advices from India, and this has had
the effect of checking buyers for the present. There
has been a considerable business:in 40-inch shirtings
to-day, but the bulk of it has been for China. There
has also been more business in cloths for the home
trade, but sellers state that most of the sales they
have effected have been in small parcels. Buyers.for
all markets seem more disposed to operate, but still
evince considerable caution, The news from India will
probably have the effect of inducing parties who are
holding orders back to place such of them as are
most pressing with as little delay as possible.
Messrs. John Slagg and Co. report of this day's
cloth market :—" There has been a decidedly better
feeling in the market today, owing doubtless, to
some extent, to the favourable telegraphic advices
received from India. Buyers seem more disposed
to operate, but the business has been to a great
extent restricted by the advanced rates demanded
by manufacturers.'
LEEDS, 16th.—There was a tolerably good attend-
ance of home-trade buyers in the cloth halls this
morning, and a satisfactory business was done in
spring goods, such as meltons, tweeds, fancy cloak-
ings, and other light fabrics. In the white cloth-
hall a fair quantity of medium and fine whites
changed hands at steady prices. The export houses,
especially those doing business with Germany, are
a moderate
restricting both their orders and their purchases,
the very questionable aspect of the Dano-Germanic
dispute destroying commercial confidence for a sea-
son. Some good orders of heavy fabrics for Den-
wt:-Bday.
mark are in hand, or have just been completed.
There are no complaints of want of work among the
manufacturers, and the prices of both wools and
goods keep steady.
this
Exchange-halll6th. h er e
The de-
mand for lace yarns was slow, but holders
___ were
firm, and fully late prices were maintattNendraTnicNeGantAM
ained, The
business done in hosiery yarns was limited, but re-
cent rates were pretty well supported. There is
no important alteration to notice in the value of
silks. The inquiry for brown nets continues dull.
!Yet prices are about the same on the legitimate
sales ; for job lots prices "
are irregular.
ROCHDALE, 15th.—'rho flannel trade is beginning
to show more activity than in the past month. The
approach of spring induces the wholesale houses and
also the retail ones to make purchases for that season.
Shipping orders, too, more numerous than of late.
Fancy goods are in
chief
request, and new designs
are continually being induced to attract attention.
A good bulk of goods changed hands to-day, at fully
late prices. Manufacturers are well employed, and
many of them have good orders on hand. Wools
keep very firm in price.