The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-28 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE,

MANCHESTER, Jan. 27.—The quietness and de-
pression reported on Tuesday have become more
marked as the week has progressed, and to-day we
have had an almost total absence of demand in most
departments of business, with very little doing in
any. Prices are again weaker, and are exceedingly
irregular. The accounts telegraphed of the Liver-
pool cotton-market have been very discouraging to-
day, and have had a bad effect on this market. The
business in shipping yarns have been very quiet,
with scarcely anything doing; and, in order to make
sales, spinners would have to submit to a further
reduction in prices. In home trade yarns sellers
report the market almost a standstill, with very irre-
gular prices. Both in home trade and export yarns
the market closes quiet, with a declining tendency.
In cloth, also, prices appear still to tend downwards;
and among buyers there seems to be a general dis -
trust in the stability even of the present low rates.
There have been a good many offers for cloth to-
day, but at exceedingly low rates. The offers mak-
ing, indeed, are pretty generally on the basis of about
2s. per lb. for shirtings, and these offers apply almost
exclusively to goods in stock, but we do not hear
of such terms being accepted. Manufacturers
are not at present prepared to adopt such a low
standard. There have been sellers to-day willing
to make some reduction, and in such cases there
has been some amount of business done for goods
in stock, but it has not been of much extent. There
seems to be quite an indisposition to give time for
contracts. Buyers, as a rule, will only purchase
where cloth is available for shipment, and if any-
thing like a long date for delivery is mentioned by
manufacturers it puts a stop to nearly all treaties for
business.

LEEDS, 27th.—The following is the trade report
of the Leeds Chamber of commerce for the month
of January :—" In the woollen trade, at the open-
ing of the new year, there was a fair increase of
business, quite as great as could reasonably have
been expected. There has been a better feeling in
the halls, and for the reason a moderate amount has
been done in thewarehouses. The manufacturers
are generally very fairly employed. The woollen
cap trade is brisker. Since last report there has been
a full average demand for colonial wools of nearly
all descriptions, and prices have been quite firm.
There has not been so much done in English long
wools, and prices are barely maintained. Under the
circumstances, however, they have been more so than
might have been expected. There has been a mo-
derate business done in flaxes at fair prices, which
have, however, been in favour of the buyer. Fine
tows have been in fair request, but lower sorts have
been dull, and prices are lower. The spinners are
working full time, but orders have been very scarce
and prices are weaker. The unsettled state of the
cotton-market has no doubt caused great hesita-
tion in entering into operations. Threads are with-
out much change. The makers of best iron are
very fairly employed, and the inquiry for it is pretty
good. For lower sorts there is less demand, and
the makers are slack. The machine and tool trades
both continue good. The locomotive and railway
plant manufacturers are without change. There has
been a good demand for rape and linseed oils during
the month, and prices are firm, tending upwards.
The seed markets are rather easier at present, but
higher prices are paid for spring
shipments of lin-
seed, and a very large business has been
done in
rates are very firm. The quantities from the ex-
portingwin be less
eatathannicoouns;otpfetixbopnues,ca:nesdda.
puring tchoeun
has been done in leather. Sole leather, both heavy
been in better demand.greatrequest, the
Dressing
goods have also sold more freely, and prices un-
haspt raise: month a fair
changed. Offaly have been in
and light,
supply being much short of the demand. The
tanning trade is also improving.
estvienlth has been limited. The
The shoe trade
ry quiet. The demand for
market is well supplied with f
urllagssu,ppprilyceosf bfeaint
g
sta-
tionary. There has been a cattle
and sheep, which has gone off at full rates. Num-
ber shown (four markets—cattle, 2,035 ; sheep,
13,210). There has been a good supply of wheat.
The business done has been limited, and prices have
been weaker. Barleys, excepting finer sorts, have
been dull. Oats and beans without much change.
Norrnmium, 27th.--There was a limited attend-
ance at this Exchange-Hall to-day, and only a
moderate share of business was done in lace yarns
at about the rates of last week. The demand for
hosiery yarns was also slow, prices being without
material change. Silks quite as dear. In brown
nets there was very little doing, and prices, if any-
thing, were in favour of the buyer.

A collision occurred on Tuesday in the port of
Havre between the Honfieur steamer Courrier and the
packet Dumfries, of the Southampton line. The former
received such dam age that the was forced to g
into dock.o at once