The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-18 00:00:00

OUR TRADE WITH FRANCE.

The extent of our trade with France during the
eight months from the Ist of September last, when
the new treaty came into full operation, to the 30th
of April, has just been'stated in official documents
prepared at the Custom-house and presented to
Parliament. The figures are satisfactory, and show
that our industry has gained a new field, which
must have had a most opportune influence in par-
tially counteracting the effects of the Morrill Tariff
in America, Economists will, of course, adhere to
their principle that commercial treaties are inexpe-
dient, and at the best can supply but a clumsy means
of approaching those results which a strict adherence
to a free trade policy on our part would inevitably
have compelled in their integrity ; but we may con-
gratulate ourselves that great good has been
achieved, although not the greatest that was prac-
ticable, and that this good, by being artifically
accelerated, has reached us at a moment when the
state of affairs in America has rendered it of double
importance. It appears that in the eight months
specified in the return, our total exports to France
amounted to £13,796,269, showing an increase of
40 per cent. on those of the corresponding eight
months of the previous year, and of 123 per cent.
on those of the same period of 1860. This is a very
striking advance, but the changes become more re-
markable when we distinguish the exports of purely
British produce and manufactures from those which
consisted of foreign and colonial merchandise. Of
the total of £13,796,269, 56 per cent. was represented
by our own goods, and it is found that while the ex-
portation of these to France has been exactly doubled
during the eight months of the treaty, those of
foreign and colonial merchandise, in the distribution
of which we act merely as speculators or agents, in-
creased only 2 per cent. Between 1860 and 1861
the distinction had been the other way, and, while
the exportation of our home products had then in-
creased 31 per cent., those of foreign and colonial
had increased 100 per cent. Among the chief arti-
cles of home production in our improved trade are
woollens, which now figure for an aggregate of
£1,710,486 against 1367,453 last year. Iron, which
has increased from £308,046 to £739,515. Cotton
piece goods, which have increased from £129,086
to £621,507, and cotton yarn, which stands at
£204,484 against £38,538. Hosiery also has in-
creased from £20,216 to £128,808 ; hardware from
£103,558 to £172,734; and silk manufactures from
£45,040 to £82,337. Coal, contrary to expectation,
shows a fractional decrease, from £400,860 to
£397,266; and it is noticeable, as an indication of
the shifting and immediate action of neighbouring
markets to the wants of the moment, that, although

______
in the eight months from September to April last
we drew considerable quantities of wheat and flour
from France, we also shipped to that country Eng-
lish wheat to the value of £791,936, in addition to
American and other foreign wheat and flour,
amounting to £612,865. Among the foreign and
colonial produce we send to France are many of the
chief staples for manufacturing purposes, and the
depression of general trade will account for the ab-
sence of any increase under these heads. Raw silk,
indeed, which we bring mainly from China, has
declined from £2,627,665 to £2,256,658, and wool,
principally Australian, has declined from £595,762
to £510,190. Of cotton the value sent in the last
eight months has been £293,988, against £219,633
in 1861.

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, June 17.—The speculative feeling
which has manifested itself in the Liverpool cotton-
market has reacted upon the yarn market here, to-
day, but has not made itself felt much upon the
cloth market. There is a growing feeling that the
war in America may be so protracted as to keep
back cotton and cause higher prices, but still this
feeling is slow to reach the buyers of cloth, who
act with much of the caution they have displayed
for months past. In yarns there has been a large
business to-day at an advance in prices, reaching
in many cases to -A-d. per lb. Merchants in the
Calcutta, Bombay, German, Mediterranean, and
home trades have all been buying very freely. For
some classes of yarns the Germans admit they have
had much difficulty in executing the orders com-
mitted to their care. The aggregate business in
yarns is generally reported to be large. The excited
state of the Liverpool cotton market is naturally
causing manufacturers to ask higher prices, but it is
next to impossible to get this advance, and wherever
it is pressed it has the effect of stopping business.
Manufacturers who have been holding back their
stocks, and are in a position to take the rates of last
week, have less difficulty in finding buyers, and in
these cases business has been effected. Stocks having
been much reduced, however, by the activity which
displayed itself in the early part of last week, sel-
lers, as a rule, are disposed to hold for an advance
proportioned to the rise in cotton and yarns, and
in such instances there is little or nothing doing.
Manufacturers are generally pretty firm in demand-
ing the advance, and where it cannot be obtained
are mostly owing to the reduced stocks on hand,
rather indifferent about selling. Buyers for India
are probably holding back till further advices are
to hand. There was a rumour in the market of
in anticipation of the mail, stating
) per piece, but we could
had advanced six annas (9d.
ic source, though, as a
some firm having received a telegramtfhraotmeChairlctiuntgtas
not trace it to any authent
robable such news might
animation in either
h e a thet
d coloured
aoee of
come to hand.
considerable
ietraiebltehoiumgphrtoovoetmieronpt was anticipated at last
LEEDS, 17th.—The woollen cloth markets have
buyers was comparatively small, and their opera-
tions were confined to purchases of small lots of
sohrotwhen
wvehriyteleitlotlteh
varied goods, rather than of anything bulky of any
particular manufacture. There is no change in the
general character of the trade, and prices remain
steady. Manufacturers in the neighbourhood, as
iscountydifferent
steady
wool maahrkdet is
for
-well as those in the town, report themselves as
active as they have been at any period during the
presentthe newye clip
ar.Aitnt hole
a lo
demand
experienced, and prices are firm.
ROCHDALE, 16th.—There has not been a very
large attendance of buyers in the flannel market to-
day, and, as many of the merchants are now taking
stock, no great amount of business has been done.
The greatest demand was for middle and finer