The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-27 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

(From the Manchester Guardian of yesterday.)
MANCHESTER, April 25.—The general state of bus
ness is not equal, in the present week, to what it was
last week. We are rather unfavourably affected by
more causes than one. The large decrease of gold in
the Bank of England, during the week last reported,
though mainly occasioned by the payment of the divi-
dends, gives rise, in connection with other circum-
stances, to an apprehension that we are about to ex-
perience a somewhat more stringent condition of the
money market. There is, too, an uneasy feeling
about the aspect of affairs on the Danube, which is
not without its influence. The caution of buyers leads
them to look, also, at the rather declining tendency of
cotton in the United States, in consequence of largely en-
hanced receipts at the posts and of depressing advioes
from Europe, which must have foiled the transatlantic
speculators. This, though welcome as an indication for
the future, has yet some little effect in the way just
referred to ;as has also the fact that the turn-out at
Stockport, discountenanced both by the shopkeepers of
the place and by the delegates of the union, is evidently
breaking down, while the operatives at Preston are
gradually accepting the mill owners terms. These cir-
cumstances have contributed to check operations in a
degree which has been sensibly felt to-day ; but the
falling off in business is in a great degree, also, a conse-
quence of the very extensive transactions for India and
China which took place last week and the week before,
and which of course left so much less to be done. Al-
though, however, the sales of the day have been com-
paratively inconsiderable, both in yarns arid goods, it
is only in some few articles that buyers find a trifling
advantage as regards price.
ROCHDALE, April 24.—We have bad another dull,
heavy, sluggish market, with little or nothing doing.
There appears to be no demand for goods at present at
any price. The wool market has been remarkably quiet,
and the manufacturers buy for immediate use only.
Fine wool may be quoted a shade easier, but low priced
English wool fully maintains the last week's quotations.
HIIDDEESFIELD, April 25.—There has been very little
doing in the market to-day, and very little seems to have
been expmted, for an air of listlessness, so to speak, has
pervaded the market during the whole of the day, and
few indeed appear to have done anything in the way of
sales. The wool merchants say they have done next to
nothing for several days past.
HALIE.I.X. April 22.—The attendance of merchants in
our piece-ball to-day has been very slender, and the
amount of business transacted very limited. The yarn
market is more depressed ; and the spinners, being
unable to obtain an advance commensurate with the
increased cost of the raw material, are still further cur-
tailing production. Wools are rather more lively and
the quotations exhibit greater firmness.

THE TINE SEAMEN.—SHIELDS, April 25.
d seamenrau ghti
offgt
to the
t ho southernconsiderable a
nndu
western
r ofn
ports,our able-bodied
inW aen aret
he
transport
disputes-shipsetwe shortbetween
the o f
ownershands.
and
theln consequenceseatne
n3OO ofor the 4 0 0
able-bodied men have been out of employment. The
seame•n's societies, however, have sent agents off to
Liverpool and other ports to seek employment for them,
and parties of 20 and 30 are going off daily to join ships,
the masters and owners of which are very gladly accept-
ing their services. The pay offered to the men is 4/. ss.
per month in the transport service ; 5/. a month in the
Australian and North American trade ; and 3/. 10s. a
month, and a clearance at the port of arrival, to the
States of America. Word has been sent across here that
we may send from 50 to 60 seamen a week to Liverpool
to man vessels going to New York, but all the men I
have spoken to prefer the British service. There is ample
employment for certificated mates and second mates in
the southern trades and transport service. One of our
men has engaged for 9/. a month as a mate in the Aus-
tralian trade. Able and experienced north country cap-
tains, well acquainted with the Baltic, are finding ready
employment under the Admiralty, as Baltic pilots to the
IBritish and French fleets. They are paid 1/. a day in the
French service, and 15s. a day in the British service.
THE TIME FOR TAKING CRONSTADT.—The following
story is told by the Presse :—Some years since the Em-
peror Nicholas, acting himself as Cicerone, conducted an
English admiral over the fortifications of Cronstadt,
when the following conversation took place :—" You
will admit, admiral, that this is
la magnificent fortress,
and as impregnable as Gibraltar, " Ob, Sire, no fort
impregn
doubtless,,
a go
ohd
difficult.f
0,
irttthr eeesnsd,,
olaintsnedcywooouinntl
with
"Couldgg wbould take a
but Gibraltar is
not be done
your Majesty, 15
difficultoi opinion o
tof Cronstadt
tak
f2oOrt?'n'ighq.N,,ot
with
;gsl,2.\;:itiia2oshl:
bars 1",