The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-23 00:00:00

-311ibitiOlt

SUN OFFICE, Six o'clock.

DERBY RACES.

(THIS DAY.)

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

STEEPLECHASE.

Spring
Shinrone

Four ran.

STATE OF TRADE.

(Prom the Manchester Guardian of this day.)
MANCHESTER, March 22.—1 n our last report, we
stated that the little excitement in cotton, got up at the
beginning of the week, by way of "making things plea-
sant" to the speculators, was passing away, and leaving,
our market in an ina,nimate• state, yet evidently steady-
ing itself at rather better prices than such as, in many in-
stances, were accepted under the fit of apprehension which
had come over us in the previous week. To-day, the
course of business has been sluggish, and its amount incon-
siderable ; but, in the department of yarns, there is a
rathermore evident recovery of firmness than was percep-
tible on Friday and Saturday. Some effect has no doubt
been produced by the American advices, received yester-
day, which report rather higher prices at New Orleans,
Mobile, Charleston, and Savannah, as well as at New
York, occasioned partly by a smaller decline than was
expected having taken. plaCe at Liverpool ; partly by
the somewhat favourable accounts respecting cotton
from France and other parts of the European continent ;
and partly by a falling off of 13,000 bales, in the
week's receipts„ at the ports of the Union, as com-
pared with the corresponding week of last year, al-
though, as we learn from Wright's circular, telegra-
phic advices showed that the following week would
exhibit an increase. The state of the cotton question is
such as to render buyers in this market exceedingly cau-
tious ; and any positive advance of prices, any attempt
at more than a steady hold of the ,rates of a fortnight
back, would stop the limited operations now going on.
On the other hand, yarns from 80's upwards are still
hardening, and a further rise is determined on by the
spinners. In domestics, there is somewhat more doinc,
at the previous prices ; but printing cloths are quiet,
and 40-inch shirtino.s dull.
ROCHDALE, March 21.—We have had a more than
usually good attendance of buyers in the market to-day,
especially from the London houses. At present the
stocks on hand are very light, which enables the manu-
facturers to obtain more for their pieces. Many refuse
to sell at last week's prices, and those who have pur-
chased have given an advance. Wool continues to ad-
vance, and some sorts of English wool are becoming
very scarce.

MACCLESFIELD, March 22.—Our manufacturers con-
tinue very active, with considerable orders on hand. The
production is only circumscribed* by want of weavers,
the scarcity of whom has been so much felt for some
years.
The stocks on hand of silk manufactured
goods are very light. Thrown Silks—The sales to the
home trade 'have been considerable, and stocks are
everywhere reduced to a very low ebb. The orders
from the continent continue to some extent, but there
is literally nothing at market to execute them with.
Raw Silks—The market remains firm for all descriptions
excepting Italians, which are rather drooping in price :
the consumption of Chinas is beyond all precedent.
HUDDERSFIELD, March 22.—The market to-day has
been quiet, there not having been a very good attend-
ance of either buyers or sellers. Anything in new pat-
terns for the spring trade meet with ready purchasers.
Most of the shippers in town are very busy with orders
both for the continent and America, but cannot get
them fitted up in anything like the usual time, the ma-
nufacturers having so many heavy orders on hand.
HALIFAX, March 19. There has been a little inquiry
to-day in our piece hall for goods of low quality ; but
the sales have not been very extensive, as the merchants
are not willing to give prices proportioned to the pre-
sent cost of yarn. The spinners are asking, and in some
instances obtaining, advanced rates for most descriptions
of yarn, and there is a pretty fair demand for home con-
sumption ; but the shipping houses are almost out of the
market. Another rise has taken place in wool, and
some sorts are now very scarce.

BIRMINGHAM, March-21.—We are again able to revert
with satisfaction to the opinion we strongly expressed at
the commencement of the present quarter, as to the pro-
bable stability of the prices of iron then declared.
Although, comparatively speaking, they were fixed upon
a rather higher scale, it did not appear that they
advanced further than the actual relation between
the demand- and powers of production would jus•
tify, divested of any speculative considerations. This
position has been assailed again and again, from
different quarters, by assertions and arguments of
various descriptions, and has been most severely tested
by the steady withholding of orders on the part of deal-
ers and consumers, the manufacturers having assisted to
the utmost of their power by generally abstaining from
entering into their usual engagements for raw metals, as
if by common consent, in the expectation, no doubt, that
a failing demand or accumulating stock would operate
favourably for purchasers, but such has not been the
case. We find ourselves now, within ten days of the
close of the quarter, without any intimation of an ap-
proaching reduction. The utmost firmness is still ex-
hibited on all hands, and though in pig iron the transac-
tions of the quarter have been limited, the demand for
rails, sheets, and bars is unabated. Our mills and forges
are all employed—labour and materials of every descrip-
tion arc equally scarce—the consumption is fully covering
the mike--and the parsimonious transactions of the last
three months induce a settled conviction that a large de-
mand must ensue. Our exports, also, notwithstanding
reiterated predictions to the contrary, have continued to
exhibit an increase : and more than proportionately high
rates are well sustained in other metals, as copper, tin,
and brass, while the means of payment are everywhere
unusually plentiful. Under these circumstances there
appears no reason to expect any material alteration in
the prices of iron, and the approaching preliminary meet-
ing is looked forward to with less interest than usual ;
though, from the secresy with which information is pre-
served, and the peculiarities by which the deliberations
of its members are influenced, confidence will not be
wholly established till its resolutions are known.--Aril's
Birmingham Gazette.