The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-16 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—By advices received this day from a gentle-
man acting for me in 61. Vincent, I am requested
to insure my sugar works, &c., in that island, if not
already insured.
It is discouraging for a West India resident or
proprietor to reflect that Governor Eyre's prompt
and successful putting down of the late insurrection
in Jamaica, and whici, backed up at home, would
have given us some sort of security in that and other
islands, has been neutralised by the exertions of the
negro-worshipper at lume, as the following extract
from my correspondett's letter leads me to believe :

‘.l There have been slfficient indications lately that
mischief is brewing inthat island. Quashie has been
indulging in placards, giving minute directions as to
how Kingston is to be fired and plundered. And a
wonderful document Pas been posted in the Leeward
district,, stating the nunbcr of fighting men, the
reserves, &c."

An eligible opportunity now offers to any and
all negro-worshippers to accompany me to St. Vin-
cent, West Indies, ox the 18th inst., when, should
they (thanks to Mr. Eyre) fail to see the negro
giving vent to his peculiar idiosyncracies—vide
Times on the late Wit India riots—it will afford
me much pleasure to introduce them to their black
brethren in that island, who—l will not gainsay
them—are, I believe, in almost all respects their
equals. Year obedient servant,
Dec. 14, 1865. J. M. H.

THE PRICE OF CURRANTS.

TO THE E)ITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—The letter cf " Celto-Greek," which ap-
peared in your columns on the 9th inst., drew my
attention to the present price of- currants in Eng-
land. I have made inquiries, and find that in Lan-
cashire, and other poor but populous districts, cur-
rants are in great demand, mothers of families, as
" Celto-Greek" suggested, making them a means of
supplementing the scarcity caused by the high price
of butchers' meat. But the present price of currants
—4d. to 6d. per lb.—is really too high for ,the
working classes. I have made minute inquiries in
the proper quarters, and fnd that the import duty
charged on currants is at iresent equivalent to 40s.
Is not so high an impost upon an article of such
general consumption in thi3 country contrary to the
spirit of free trade ? And is it not the bounden
duty of the Legislature to remove every impedi-
ment that stands between the people and the cheap
enjoyment of what has become a traditional article
of English fare at this season, and which, in the
present state of the meat riarket, would add so ma-
terially to the comfort o! many poor families ?—I
remain, Sir, your obediert servant,

ECONOMIST.

STATE 0? TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Dec. 11.—Shipping yarns have
been quiet to-day since the arrival of American
commercial advices, but very strong. With spinners
under heavy contracts, spme of them deeply en-
gaged for weeks forward, there is a strong feeling
among many producers that high prices will be
maintained. So far as could be ascertained there
has been no giving way among shipping spinners.
In home trade yarns ther€ has been a steady mar-
ket, but with rather less business doing. There has
been very little change in prices. The finer counts
of yarn are the scarcer, and there seems to be a good
demand for them, and they are difficult to purchase
for immediate delivery. The cloth market was more
sensibly affected by the China's advices than that
for yarns. It entirely checked the advance of prices,
and led to operations to-day being almost sus-
pended. There is, however, very little disposition, on
the other hand, to make any concession in prices.
Manufacturers are generally so well engaged, and
there is such an entire absence of stocks, that, as
we can see, the depression amounts to very little in
actual reduction of prices. Makers are more eager
now to accept the offers placed before them earlier
in the week, but they show no disposition to tempt
business by lowering their quotations. Although
we close with but a small business, there is no great
general change, or apprehension of a great fall in
values. Both at Liverpool and in this market we
close with less actual depression than was expected
in the morning, when the steamer's news first came
to hand.

CARDIFF, 14th.—The steam coal trade is mode-
rately active, the proprietors being fairly off for
orders. There is every prospect of a larger business
being done, and many are making preparations to
meet the expected increased demand. There is not
any change to note in house coal, the supply and
demand continuing about the same as last week ;
but as winter has aow really set in merchants'
orders are naturally expected to increase. Several
of the large iron companies have commenced to ship
coal, and consequently the means of supply are at
present larger than th€y were. 'The iron trade is
not so active as was expected, the trade with
America being still characterised by irregularity ;
and the entire closing of the Baltic trade has also
influenced the market. There is a fair amount of
business doing in rails ; and, although there is no
great improvement to note in plates, a slight in-
crease has been evinced in the demand. Pig iron
realises full current quotations without difficulty.
NOTTINGHAM, 15th.—At our Exchange-hall to;
day there was a tolerable attendance, and the
demand for lace yarns was firm, at the extreme
rates of Tuesday.. Hosiery yarns a steady sale,
and quite as dear. Silks and spun silks maintain
full prices. There was a slow demand for brown
nets, and prices remain without material variation.
In mosquito nets there is a fair amount of business
doing for the time of the year.