The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-03 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

MAN CIIESTER, May 2.--The yarn-market, as well
as the cloth-market, is very quiet. In fact, little
Lop- t' TS h.9.7ar-dillf7( speculative:
American affairs. Such a mum?, it is said, the
English Government is too wise to contemplate,
while it is one which the French would not dare to
attempt single-handed. The report, therefore, is
not seriously credited, butt it is sufficient to create
r, great uneasiness and stop business. Neither spin•
ners nor manufacturers are willing to make the
slightest concession in prices, even to Effect sales
but it will be seen in how sernitive a state our
market is, at the present high prices, when reports
resting on so slight a founpation as the present one
can so seriously derange it. Everybody treats the
matter as one that will speedily "blow over," but
sellers of cloth report that there has been little or
no inquiry, much less any actual business, and that
the market has been unusually flat throughout the
day. Shirtings continue very firm, owing to the
better advices lately to hand from India, and '-
cloths and domestics are firmer, through reduction.
Long-cloths are reported to be low in stock, but the
demand of late has been small. Of yarns and cloths
from Indian cotton the market is now in good
supply, and, though a large quantity of these goods
is of excellent quality, it is said that some of the
cloth from the low staples is of a very inferior de-
scription, and sells with difficulty. The Cotton
Supply Association have received some recent
samples of cotton grown in India of very superior
quality. The largest of these samples is a staple
grown in the neighbourhood of Madras, and valued
at 13el. to 131 d. per lb. It is from American seed,
and is equal to any cotton of the kind from Ame-
rica. It is to be given out to spinners to be made
into 70's yarn. Another sample is of cotton grown
at Mutlah, in India, from Egyptian seed, worth
141 d. to 15d. ; and a third kind grown at Dargree-
ling, from Egyptian, is valued at 15d. per lb. "If
cotton such as this," say spinners," could be supplied
in quantity, we should no longer be dependent upon
America to keep our spindles going." Messrs.
Du Fay and Co., in their review of trade during
the past month, say—" Tho distress which came
upon us months ago is only felt now in all its seve-
rity, for many of our wealthy manufacturers, who
have partially worked their mills, not on their own
account, but on account of the working classes, can-
not go on any longer,:the losses being excessive, and
the produce unsatisfactory, as really good cotton.
becomes scarcer every day. What is to be done if
the war in America should continue much longer no
one knows. Such a state of things is unparalleled,
and experience is unavailable as regards remedy.
Everything has been done to encourage the growth
of cotton in other countries, but this is at best a
work of years. Self-help is, indeed, put to the test
in Lancashire, and we hope outward help will come
soon. It is nearly nine months since some of the
markets abroad have been supplied with goods, yet
no urgent wants make themselves felt. Stocks must,
however, be greatly diminished by this time, and
before long demand will revive, even at the present
enhanced rate of prim:. From the nearer markets,
indeed, small orders have latterly been transmitted
to this country both for yarns and goods. The poll-
tical disturbances in the South American States are
continuing to act unfavourably on our market by
checking imports altogether."

TERRBILE SUICIDE BY BLOWING OFF 'III i
SKULL—Yesterday morning information was forwarded to
, -
Mr. Humphreys,the Middlesex coroner, of the death of
James Lye, a cabinetmak7, residing at No. 4 Devon hilt:-
terrace,
Poplar, who committed suicide under eh cuinstanccs
of extraordinary determination by blowing off nearly his
whole head after an ineffectual attempt to shoot himself
through the body. It appears that the deceased not bein,,
heard to make any noise in his room, and not coming down
stairs as was usual early in the morning, the other occu-
pants of the house became alarmed, and upon finding that
his door was fastened on the inside they forced In entrance.
A shocking spectacle then presented itself. The deceased
was found lying on the bed with the whole roof of the skull
and the greater portion of the face blown away, the brains
and flesh being splashed on the wall, and the bedclothes
saturated with blood. A doctor was immediately sent for,
and it was founkthat the unfortunate man had fired a shot
at his breast, thi
rthe bullet had not entered, and it is pre-
sumed that he then loaded a large pistol. which was found
on the bed, with 'powder to the muzzle, and placing it in
his mouth, shattered his head to atoms. A powder-flask
was found on the mantle-shelf. The unfortunate man had
been latterly in reduced circumstances, owing to want of
employment,