The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-10 00:00:00

STATE OF 7RADE.

MANCHESTER, Dec. 9.—There has been a rather
strong market in yarns, and prices are fully Id. per
lb. higher than on this day week. During the last
five or six days there has been an inquiry for most
kinds of twist suitable for India, and a demand for
that market has led to a fair business to-day. A
good business has alsobeen done in home-trade yarns
at the advance. The market generally is reported
better, and a strong opinion prevails that the lowest
rates have been touched for the present, and that we
are on the turn, with a prospect of a more legitimate
and bona fide business than the trade has experi-
enced for some time. One cause of more activity
and firmness is no doubt to be found in the activity
of the Liverpool cotton market, which has brought
those who were holding orders for yarn over in ex-
pectation of still lower prices rather freely into this
market. We have no movement in the cloth mar-
ket at all, the advises from India being unfavour-
able. We have had telegrams from Bombay to the
27th of November (the quickest ever received), and
from Calcutta to the 26th. The Calcutta telegrams
quote the market inanimate, with a decline in all
descriptions of cloth. Shirtings were 2to 3 annas
lower. At Bombay the market was not so generally
depressed, but some descriptions of shirtings were
one anna (10.) per piece lower. These advises have
checked the little improvement which had m ani-
fested itself last week, and the highest prices then
given cannot be obtained to-day. Some parties
report moderate buying in T-cloths and some other
fabrics, including printers ; but there is some
discrepancy in the reports as to the latter, the de-
mand according to some accounts having fallen off.
December is usually a dull month as regards the
home trade in cloths, the large country houses, as
well as drapers, never adding to stock till after the
Christmas stock-taking, but there are symptoms of
a considerable improvement when New Year's-day
is turned in the exhausted supplies of such houses.
There have been offers for articles out of stock at
fair prices, and prices which would be accepted, but
the orders are not large enough at present to induce
the makers of such goods to incur the cost of re-
opening their mills: Messrs. John Slagg and Co.
report—" Since Tuesday last there has been a mo-
derate amount of business done in printing cloths,
and certain descriptions of T cloths and long clothe,
at full prices. For other goods ithe demand has
been on a very limited scale, but prices well sup-
ported. To-day the little business doing in India
has been checked by the unsatisfactory accounts to
hand by telegraph from Bombay and Calcutta; but
so far, prices are not affected. For other kinds
there is no improved demand, but prices are firm,
with an upward tendency.
LEEDS, 9th---The cloth markets in both the co-
loured and the white hall to-day were but thinly
attended by buyers. Purchases, which included a
few winter goods, some ordinary cloths, and sam-
ples of spring goods, were made sparingly. There
is a great absence of speculation, but prices keep
steady, and the trade may be pronounced in a
healthy and satisfactory condition for the season of
the year. Wools are firm in price.

THE ARCHDUKE FERDINAND MAXIMILIAN.--The
Archduke (says Galignani) is now in the Island of La-
croma, near Ragusa, where he resides with the Archduchess
in the simple retreat built in 1192 by Richard Coeur de
Lion, on his return from the Crusade, in memory of the
place where he first landed after his expedition. The Arch-
duke lives a very retired life.
AFRICAN PRODUCTIONS.—The 'very interesting
I objects contained in the Liberian Court of the -Exhibition
have been transferred to the offices of the West Africa
Company, at 41, Gresham-house, with the sanction of the
Liberian Government. These productions have attracted
considerable public notice, especially the samples of cotton,
sugar, palm-oil, and the very beautiful specimens of maho-
ganyWe understand that it is the
and other hard timber.
intention of the West Africa Company to use these as the
nucleus of an African masonry, and as an illustration of thearticles the company will import. It is satisfactory tc,
know that on©t hof the agents of the company has expressed
will be able to ship 500,000 bales of cotton
Niger next year, and that a gentleman has offered
hisao
belief that
investtforomthe
£50,000 in cotton culture in Liberia, upon an un-
dertaking from the company that he shall be guaranteed
by the company for his cleaned cotton (middling Orleans
quality) 3d, per lb. at th 3 port of shipment.