The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-05 00:00:00

THE WOOLLEN TRADE.

(Front the Leeds Mercury of this day.)
GERMAN WOOL MARKET. —The year 1853 is un-
doubtedly, for our German wool trade, a year on which
the great hopes of many for the improvement of prices
of the raw material are attached. The regular good
sales of wool, which have been effected since the clip up
to the present time, not alone to our inland manufac-
turers and combers, but chiefly by the great and con-
tinued demand for England and France, have emptied
our stocks to such an extent as was scarcely to be
expected. The increased consumption, as well as the
diminished quantity of coloured wools, imported into
the English market, and the deficiency in the shearing
or last year in our country, account for this state of
things, and it was natural that the prices or all
descriptions of wool should creep up, and in-
duce the contractors to pay higher prices for
the coming clip. Great expectation of the result
of the coming wool fairs prevail throughout the whole
country, and the demands of the farmers are at present
Bo extravgant that no reasonable business is, just now, to
be done ; but by far the greater quantity of the wool is
already secured by the contractors. More has been
Contracted for than in former years, and it is not un-
likely that the quantity of wool in first hands brought
into the fairs will be comparatively small. The month
of January has been very favourable for the wool trade ;
great deal of business has been done lately. The re-
maining stock of good markish and Pomeranian wools
has been taken out of our market for the English trade,
and higher prices have been paid for it than hitherto.
In low fleeces there has been a large business done for
England, which has created . rather a sensation. The
Prices of this .article, which was neglected, went up a
few dollars per cwt. Prices paid for those low fleece
wools (which contain locks, &c.) ruled from 35 to
50 r.d. per cwt. The same lively demand has existed
for low coarse skin wools, of which large quanti-
ties have made their way to England and Scotland.
Fine cliped wools were sold at,54 to 62 r.d. per cwt.
The weather being very unfavourable for drying this de-
scription of wool, causes it to be rather scarce.
LIVERPOOL WOOL MARKET IN JANUARY.—The local
monthly circulars are highly satisfactory. The past
month opened with great activity, which has continued
throughout, and the sales, both on the spot and in the
country have been very considerable, and in all cases at
advanced rates. The stocks of all kinds of foreign
wools are so completely exhausted, that quotations can
hardly be given at present with any degree of exactness.
the great difficulty is to meet with the kinds required,
and in such cases buyers have in a great measure to
yield to the pretensions of the sellers. There is very
little on the way to this country from any of the Euro-
:•an ports, where supplies are universally reported to
be light, and if the demand continues, prices are likely
to become considerably enhanced in value. The quantity of
home wools left in growers' hands is small, and they are
held far above the highest rates that have been yet obtained.
River Plate wools continue in fair request for merino and
Mestizo, nothing good on hand, Cordova is sought after,
sales having been made at 91d. to 10d. per lb., and they,
are now firm at the latter figure. Mogadore is in de-
mand, the sales have been confined to a few small lots in
second hands. Mediterranean of all kinds much in-
quired for, particularly Egyptian of good length, but all
sorts extremely scarce ; there have been several sales
made for arrival, but not to any extent. Alpaca is in
good demand at 2s. 9d. ; also Mohair at 2s. 2d. to 2s.
3d. per lb. The next series of public sales in London has
been fixed for the 13th inst., when about 30,000 bales of
Australian, Cape, and East India, &c., are to be brought
forward. More than the usual interval has elapsed since
the last public sale of colonial wools, there is conse-
quently very little left in the hands of the trade ; a brisk
competition may therefore be expected, anc), a consider-
able advance will, no doubt, be established. For all
kinds of Scotch the demand has been very active, and
some sales of Laid Cheviot have been made to send back
to Scotland ; as high as 20s. per stone of 24 lbs., has
been
, paid for second rate parcels. In Irish wools there
not been much doing for France, but there is a good
'ccluiry for the home trade, and prices 'are well sup-
Ported.

. The London wool market this week is very firm. The
int ports into London during the week ending to-day
nave been 551 bales, of which 202 were from Germany,
109 from Belgium, and 191 from the Cape of Good
ilope. In the foreign wool market we have had only a
quiet market again this week—the near approach of the
London sales, and the uncertainty as to future prices,
naving influenced to some extent the operations of
buyers. In the Liverpool wool market there has been
a good demand for wool at stiff prices. The imports of
the past week are-411 East India, 3 Lisbon, 6 Con-
stantinople, 1,300 Peruvian, 1,390 Alpaca.
The woollen cloth market of Leeds has been rather
dull this week. There was only a limited business done
in the Cloth Halls on Saturday and on Tuesday, the
Weather was so foggy and dark that it was almost im-
possible to transact business ; the consequence
Was, there was a very thin attendance of mer-
chants in the halls, and a very flat and quiet mar-
ket. Prices are very firm. We believe a very large
business would have been done on Saturday, espe-
cially in the White Cloth-hall, if the manufacturers
would have taken a little less for some of their goods ;
but a very slight reduction would have cleared some
considerable lots. With the high price which nbw rule
for all the raw materials used in the manufacturing of
woollen cloths, we believe the manufacturers have con-
siderable difficulty in producing goods at present prices,
and it is quite impossible to replace present stocks at the
same rates. Business in the home trade has been slack
during the present week, but the shipping houses con-
tinue brisk and active. The trade of the woollen dis-
trict continues in a good and satisfactory state. There
has been a full average business done during Janwtry,
both in the cloth-hall and in the warehouses. The .mills
in the clothing villages are in good work, and the opera-
tives generally well employed.
ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET.—WO have had a
rather flatter market to-day than that on the preceding
Monday. The wool market has undergone little change ;
the manufacturers show no disposition to buy at present,
under the impression that prices have reached their
highest point.
BRADFORD MARKET, FEB. 3.—The worsted market
was very quiet in character, no feature of importance
presenting itself for notice. The spinners are well sup-
plied with wool, and all are waiting the result of the
sales now coming on. There is no movement in the
yarn or piece trade. Employment is steady and full.
TRADE OF LEICESTER.—The home demand for hoseiry
continues steady in the warehouses, and the execution of
orders for the Australian and Canadian markets. Pre-
sent prices, however, in worsted yarn are not obtainable,
but the confidence that they must be eventually realised
has prevented the workmen from shorter employment.
The demand for cotton hose is extensive, and relieves
the labour market. Althouga raw cotton has receded
a trifle, the supply of brown cotton yarns suited to our
manufacture barely keeps up to the demand, whilst blue
greys are most difficult to obtain. Worsted spinners are
not yet able to obtain the advance on wools, and experi-
ence a difficulty in making sales. Wools remain steady,
at their advanced price. The increase of the rate of dis-
count by the Bank of England will have a tendency to
check speculation, whilst the lightness of stock in the
hands both of the grower and the woolstapler may at
least keep present prices firm.