The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-17 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, TUESDAY.—The growing indisposition
of buyers to accede to the recent demand of producers,
has been more manifest to-day than it was in the latter
part of last week; and it is still felt far more de-
cidedly in yarns than in goods. In the former very
little business has been done, and most of the counts
and qualities that rose in price during the late
excitement are found to have receded, in some degree,
wherever sales have been effected. Water twist, of the
qualities known as " common to good seconds," from
12's to 24's, have yielded more than the same descrip-
tions of mule. Spinnings for home manufacture are
less affected than those for exportation, but they
betray a somewhat diminished firmness.
,Manufac-
turers, having still more or less of contracts to work
upon, are adhering to the advanced quotations with
great firmness, in nearly all kinds of cloth, some of
which are a good deal wanted, and difficult of purchase.
Generally, however, the buyers are keeping aloof, in the
expectation that, as orders run out, more favourable
terms will become practicable; and, in some things,
there are already slight symptoms of concession. In both
goods and yarns, a struggle is now going on betwixt the
producers and the buyers, in regard toiprice-.
ROCHDALE, MONDAY.—There has been a flat market
to-day. Few buyers have attended, and prices may be
quoted a shade lower. We have had more inquiries
for wool, and those who have purchased have been
obliged to give a small advance in price.
HUDDERSFIELD. TUESDAY.—The market to-day can-
not be reported equal to that of last Tuesday ; neverthe-
theless, a considerable business has been done. During
the week the wool merchants have been busy, and
prices firm. Throughout the whole of our district,the
prospects of trade are now cheerful.
HALIFAX, SATURDAY. —There was a better attendance
at our Piece-hall today; and more inquiry for goods,
both plain and figured. In some cases an increased
price was obtained, though not equal to the advance
which has taken place in the raw material.
In the warehouses there is a considerable business
doing; but there is an impression that many of the
purchases are on speculation, in anticipation of a rise
in price. The aitivity in the yarn trade remains un-
abated; and some qualities are rather harder to buy.
Much wool is changing hands; and there is still a ten-
dency to look up. The growers are more difficult to
deal with, and are asking more than the staplers can
sell it for.

LEEDS, TIIESDAY.-Our this day's market showed a
decidedly firmer tone, and a good deal of business has
been transacted. Prices of all descriptions of cloth are
rising, and even the better sorts cannot bs bought at the
old rates.—Manchester Guardian.

BOULOGNE v. CALAIS.
(From the Boulogne Gazette.)
In our last number we stated erroneously that the
mail, via Dover and Boulogne, bad arrived at Bou-
logne, during the last year, " 46 times too late for the
train ;" it should have been 40 times. The fact
either way appears at first sight to sanction the
charge of irregularity preferred against Boulogne by
its too eager enemies. We hope, however, to be fa-
voured presently with such statistics, on the mail ser-
vice, via Dover and Boulogne, as shall at once dis-
pel the cloud of exaggerated and interested reports
under which it has laboured. It may be too late to
repair the mischief that has been done, but truth is
acceptable at all times, and sooner or later will pre-
vail. The question is, not the late or non-arrivals
of the mail at Boulogne, but the causes of those
late or non-arrivals. It the inadequacy of the port
of Boulogne were proved to be the cause, we should
rejoice at the removal of the service to Calais,
but, as we stated in our last, the night service at
Boulogne was only attended by 46 (say now 40) de-
lays, while the day service at Calais was attended by
no less than 38 for the same period. But there are
many circumstances that may have prevented the
due arrival of the mails at Boulogne, and over which
the port itself may have had no possible control.
For instance, if the mail cannot leave Dover, it
cannot reach Boulegne ; if the captains of the mail
packets choose to go to Calais, the mail at Boulogne
may be expected in vain. Under the action of all
or any of these contingencies, it is perhaps surprising
that the irregularity of the port of Boulogne has
not been greater than it has. We hope, however, to
prove that by far the major part of these irregularities
lie at any other door than that of the port of Boulogne.
During the whole of last year, which was our year
of trial, it is a fact that not one single day passed
over without several steamers leaving the harbour of
Boulogne, both by the day and night tides, while as
many entered, except on Dec. 4, when, however,
one left in the day time, and another in the night.
Why then could not the mails come ? It is also a
singular fact that, just at the time when Lord Clan-
ricarde visited Paris, the captains of the mail-packets
visited Calais in preference to Boulogne. Their
excuse was that it blew a gale of wind—and a long
gale it was—but not so severe but that the
steamers left and entered the Boulogne harbour as
usual, and the boats carried off the mail bags to
the packet in the roads as usual ! If we mistake not,
Lord Clanricarde visited Paris during our September
fetes, and it was then we fear that a parley to the preju-
dice of Boulogne took place. We maintain earnestly
that never was a sea service more regularly main-
tained than at the port of Boulogne during the year
1848. Out of the forty delays occasioned to the regular
transmission of letters to Paris, we hope to prove that
25, at least, are attributable to the port of Dover, the
South-Eastern Railway, or the captains of the Boulogne
mail packets. We know the disinclination of the cap-
tains for the port of Boulogne—we know their partia-
lity for the old beaten track of Calais. But it will be
something new in these go-a-head times if prejudice for a
particular port be suffered to interfere with the public
weal. Hitherto the mail via Boulogne has been the
greatest benefit ever conferred on the commercial re-
lations of France and England—to-morrow that benefit
might be greatly increased. Five hours is amply suffi-
cient for the transit from Boulogne to Paris, which, if
the system were adopted, would allow the captains of
the mail-packets such latitude, as to time of starting
from port to port, &c., that the perilous boat service
would be almost annihilated. Generally speaking, the
boats might steam from port to port without its
intervention—and be in time. Greater regularity is
not likely to be obtained at Calais, the same speed
never can.

Since writing the above we have been favoured
with the following :

STATISTICS OF THE PORT OF BOULOGNE FOR 1848.
The mail from London to Paris, via Boulogne,
leaves London every evening (Sundays excepted) at
half-past eight o'clock, and arrives at Dover at eleven,
performing the distance in two hours and a halt.
About half-past eleven of the same evening it is put
on board the packet in the Dover harbour, or sent off
in a boat to the packet in the Dover roads, as the case
may be, and ought to be landed on the quay at Bou-
logne before forty minutes past three in the morning,
the train leaving Boulogne for Paris at fifty minutes
past three. Deducting from the 366 days of the
year 1848, 53 days for the morrows of the Sundays,
i
and Christmas-day, it s clear that the mail has been
forwarded to Boulogne 313 times. It has arrived at
Boulogne 305 times, and the remaining eight, namely,
March 1, Oct. 26, Nov. 29 and 30, Dec. 2,5, 6,
and 8, it was landed at Calais. "Vas this change
in its direction justified by circumstances ? —We
shall see.

March I.—lt blew a gale of wind from the S.W.
The Dover roadstead was impracticable, and the mail
could not leave the harbour till about half-past four,
consequently too late. But, why did it not come to
Boulogne ? It could have done so, for at the same
moment that it quitted Dover, the Lord Warden left
Folkestone for Boulogne, and the Queen of the French
left Boulogne for Folkestone, both effecting their
passages with the greatest ease—and yet the English
mail could not do so ?—So much for that day.
Oct. 26.—1 t was high water at Dover at half-past
ten ; the mail therefore could easily leave at half-past
eleven, and the wind being favourable, arrive at
Boulogne at half-past one. Why then did it go to
Calais ? It certainly was not on account of bad
weather, and as a proof of the fact, a boat went out
at three o'clock to the Onyx, in the Boulogne offing,
with the mail destined for England. On that day the
commerce of France and the Continent was deprived
of its dispatches—and whose the fault ?
Nov. 29, 30, and Dec. 2.—The tides servedofbtohe
both
at Dover and Boulogne, that is, they allowne
departure from the quayatD theo veraisdooatsb tooatdrsr service
eaet
the quay at Boulogne, without
ofin etihtehemrariolsadosotmeaediromWhy, then, d
to Bidoonlootgothee,
particu-
larly
iforodmp Boulogne to
Dlarolvyera,s
B.—There was
theiraod
with
ibt rho tah
leers
s captainsl
favourablever
wt
Dec. 5,6, and
Boulogne at the hours of the arrivall:lenty of water at
and departure of
the mails; those which carried to Dover the French
mails went out of our port at the usual hour without
difficulty, and immediately after the arrival of the