The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-18 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

The accounts of the state of business in the manufac-
turing towns during the past week show great general
steadiness, the ill-advised strikes of the operatives having
caused. a limitation of production at the precise period
when the markets most required a lessening of supplies.
At Manchester transactions have taken place to a fair
extent, and prices are without alteration. The stoppage
o the mills at Preston has excluded nearly 30,000 people
from employment, and the masters at Burnley and
Bacup have given notice of a similar step at those places
on the 28th inst., by which a still larger number will be
throw out. At Birmingham, although the quarterly
meetings of the iron trade have ended without any
actual advance in prices, the various firms are indis-
posed to take fresh orders at existing rates, the demand
from all quarters being uninterrupted. The position of
the coal trade still remains uncertain, owing to the pre-
valence of strikes, but the masters hold to their deter-
mination not to yield. In the general business of the
town there is undiminished prosperity, and the orders
for machinery and agricultural implements are particu
larly large. Considerable shipments of furnishing iron
monger3r have been made to Australia during the week,
but the indiscriminate exports thither have been entirely
checked. From Nottingham the report states the
market to have been well supported by American buyers,
but dull in other respects. Still there is no want of
confidence, and in many departments more hands would
be employed if they could be found. The tendency to
strike seems, however, to have subsided. In the woollen
districts there has been no variation. The check given
to exports to the continent from the fear of war, and to
Australia from the tenour of the last accounts, creates
continued flatness, although here, as elsewhere, employ.
ment is abundant, and the feeling regarding the future
perfectly satisfactory, In the Irish markets there has
been a reaction in the price of flax, while linen manu-
factures have remained dull at former quotations.

ROYAL NAVAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

Yesterday the ordinary quarterly court of the gover-
nors of this institution was held at ;the Thatched-house
Tavern, St. James's-street, Vice-Admiral Lord Radstock
in the chair. The court was also attended by Rear-Ad-
miral Sir Watkyn Owen Pell, Captains Richardson and
Dickenson, Commander Marshall, Lieutenants Gardiner
and Bedford, and by several other distinguished officers.
Mr. Skead, the secretary, read the minutes of the last
court, which were duly confirmed.

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Captain Richardson then stated that, having been ap-
pointed chairman of the occasional committee, he was
now, from official experience, able to say that nothing
could be more satisfactory than the manner in which
the institution was conducted, and that no officer could
be more painstaking than Mr. Skead, the secretary.
These facts could not fail, be thought, to be highly grati-
fying to all the members of the institution.
The report stated that the income of the institution
for the last quarter had been 1,2131. 4s. ld., including
4611. 12s. 5d., the balance from the last audit ; 5421.
18s. Bd., interest on investments; and 2081. 135., the
amount of subscriptions and donations. The expendi-
ture for the sane period had been 6461. 75., including
the sum of 5471. expended in grants, leaving in hand a
balance of 5661.175. id. The invested capital amounted
to 36,1951. 12s. 2d.

The report was unanimously agreed to, and a resolu-
tion was passed authorising the payment of a bill of
costs due to the honorary solicitor.
The Chairman then said that since their last meeting

it had pleased Providence to deprive the country of two
distinguished officers, who were also vice presidents of
the institution. The loss of such men as the late Sir G.
Cockburn and the late Sir Charles Adam was a sub-
ject of general regret. Their duty, however, now was
to elect two vice presidents in their place ; and he
thought that it would be advisable to name no gentle-
man for that office without a personal assurance that he
ould be willing to serve.

Some discussion here took place with respect to the
necessity of electing a trustee in room of the late Sir
G. Cockburn ; after which,

On the motion of Sir Watkyn Owen Pell, seconded
by Lieutenant Bedford, Rear Admiral I)undas was
elected vice president, in lieu of the late Sir Charles
Adam, K.C.B.

A quantity of routine business was then gone through,
after which the memorials of applicants for the relief of
the institution were taken into consideration.

A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro-

ceedings.

THE NEW COMMISSION ON BANKRUPTCY.—The first
meeting under the new commission appointed to inquire
into the law of bankruptcy, will be held on the Ist of
November.

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