The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-21 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE

The continued activity in the Liverpool cotton mar-
ket, and the advance which has taken place there,
amounting, on the middle and inferior qualities of Ame-
rican cotton, to fully three farthings per pound,—have
at length made some impression on our market ; and
there was yesterday a more active demand for yarn, es•
pecially for qualities and counts suitable for the East
India and Mediterranean markets, and an advance of
a farthing per pound was generally obtained. In ma-
nufactured goods, also, there was some improvement,
and some considerable business was done in shirtings at
an advance of 3d. to 6d. per piece. Printing cloth was
also in better demand, at an advance of 1 id. per piece.
It must be obvious, however, that this improvement,
when taken in conjunction with the advance in cotton
at Liverpool, leaves the spinners and manufacturers in
a worse condition than before ; and very extensive pre-
parations are now understood to be on foot for working
short time. A preparatory meeting of spinners and manu- '
facturers of Ashton, Stalybridge, and theneighbourhood,
was held on Wednesday last ; when it was unanimously
resolved to recommend to the trade in that district to
work only eight hours per day until Christmas ; and an
engagement to that effect was, we believe, very generally
signed yesterday ; but we could not learn whether it
had received the full number of signatures required.
We understand, however, that all the factories in Bol-
ton are either working short time or entirely standing ;
and that a resolution for reducing the hours of labour
to eight per day, until the Ist of January, was passed
at a meeting of Rochdale spinners, held yesterday ;
and an agreement to that effect was signed by fourteen
firms. About twelve firms are working short time at
Stockport in addition to fifteen other establishments,
which were all at work two years ago, and which have,
since that time, been entirely closed from bankruptcy or
other causes. Indeed, in the present condition of the
trade, the continued advance in cotton at Liverpool is
fraught with ruin to the spinners, and they must either
check that advance, or raise the price of their produce,
which can only be effected by a considerable diminution
in its amount. We regret to add, that since Friday
last three additional failures have been announced ; two
in Stockport, and one in the neighbourhood of this town.
The parties are all spinners and manufacturers, but their ,
concerns are not very extensive.— ,Vlancliester Guardian.
DISTRESSING STATE OF MORLEY.—Most of the
manufacturers of Morley have been nearly at a stand
for many weeks ; consequently the operatives, who being
mostly weavers, and who cannot in a good trade earn as
much as will keep them and their families, are suffering
very severely. The shopkeepers having given credit to
a large amount last panic, and not having been able
to realize the settling of their accounts, seem deter-
mined not to give credit, indeed many of them cannot
do it. The New Poor-law, which is hated by all
(especially by those who have most to do with it,
and consequently know most about it), is now made to
operate most shamefully against the poor, aided also by
the new valuation, having nearly doubled the rates on cot-
tages and reduced those on land about one third ; by which
means those are compelled to pay the rates who ought
to be receiving them, for many have actually been
summoned and compelled to pay, who have neither work
nor bread. Altogether the present prospect is the most
dark and dismal ever known in Morley, and there seems
to be no one to sympathise with or relieve the distress
he beholds ; our Ministers. generally speaking, being
elevated fir above the people, have in consequence no
sympathies for them. The present distress has been
heightened by the disastrous news from America, where
some of our manufactures have been seized and kept
until they ought to have been sold. The Primitive
Methodists held special prayer meetings last Sunday, to
call upon Him who alone can deliver them from the
hands of tyrants and the miseries of starvation.—Leeds
Time:.
ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET, MONDAY, NOY. 18'
—There is little change in the market to report to-day
there has been a moderate quantity of business done at
very low prices.—Wool market dull, at rather de-
clining prices.