The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-24 00:00:00

J UNE 24, 1847.

(From the Mark-lane Express.)
The weather has been decidedly broken throughout
the week, and though the rain which has fallen has done
no further positive mischief than• deranging a portion of
the hay in the early districts, where cutting was com-
menced the first week in June, still it has caused some
uneasiness. That a dry summer generally proves fa-
vourable for wheat in this country is a well-known fact ;
and there can be no doubt that plenty of moisture has
fallen fur the spring sown corn. A change to dry warm
weather would, therefore, be very desirable, whilst a
longer continuance of rain might prove injurious. Up
to the pressnt time the reports from the agricultural dis-
tricts continue to speak well of the grain crops, but the
complaints respecting the reappearance of the potato
disease have lately increased, though they are not, we
are happy to say, so general as to have given rise to
serious apprehension. That the late wet weather must
have proved very trying where any predisposition to
the disorder in the plant existed is certain, and should a
moist state of atmosphere unfortunately prevail during
the summer, the failure would probably again prove ex
tensive. Several large growers of potatoes with whom
we have conversed on the eubject stated that their great
fear was an excess of moisture ; with dry weather they
hoped and expected they should do well. The very im-
portant fall which took place on Monday in the price of
wheat had a depressing effect on all the leading pro-
vincial markets, held in the early part of the week. At
Liverpool, on Tuesday, considerable surprise was occa-
sioned by the tone of the London advices, so great a
reduction at Mark-lane coming wholly unexpected ; the
result was, that though the market was well attended by
local and distant buyers, sales of wheat could not be
made except at an abatement of 9d. per 701 b.; whilst
American flour was taken off slowly at a decline of 2s. 6d.
per barrel, and all other articles were decidedly easier
to buy than on that day se'nnight. Later in the week
something like confidence appears to have returned, still
on Friday neither wheat nor flour was at all dearer.
At most of the other large consuming towns the wheat
trade had taken its tone from the London and Liverpool
reports, and as regards wheat, the decline, taking the
kingdom collectively, may be estimated at 6s. to Bs. per
quarter. Meanwhile very little, if any, increase has
taken place in the deliveries from the growers; and,
cautiously as purchasers have operated, there has been
no accumulation of stocks in the hands of merchants.
Last week we directed attention to the extreme insig-
nificance of the quantity sold at the 290 towns at which
an official account of the sales is kept for the purpose of
compiling the averages ; small as the return then was,
that for the week ending 12th of June shows a further
falling off. To put this matter clearly before our
readers, we beg to call their attention to the following
statement :
SOLD AT THE 290 TOWNS RETURNING THE AVERAGES.
1847. 1846.
In the week ending May 8 ... 111,156 ... 129,169
15 ... 100,676 ... 115,681
—22 ... 78,269 ... 78,064
—29 ... 68,843 ... 79,001
June 5 ... 41,223 ... 88,378
12 ... 31,364 ... 87,508
It will be seen that the decrease has been progressive,
uninfluenced by the important fluctuation which prices
have undergone during the time referred to ; and we
can, therefore, draw no other conclusion than that the
stocks of home-grown wheat have been reduced into an
extremely narrow compass. If we are right in this
belief, the expected arrivals from abroad are likely to
be all wanted before the new crop can be ready for con •
sumption. A large fleet of vessels grain laden have this
week arrived off the coast, the greater part at Cork and
Falmouth fur orders; this arrival is principally from the
Mediterranean, and has been lung expected. By fer the
greater number of the ships appear to be laden with
Indian corn, and that article has consequently fallen
materially in value not only in London and Liverpool,
but likewise in Ireland. The quantity of wheat, when
distributed to the several ports, will not, we apprehend,
prove so great as to have much influence on prices; but
Indian corn seems likely, for a time at least, to rule
much lower than it has done of late, the consumption of
the article being comparatively small, except in Ireland.
The arrivals of English wheat into the port of London
have not increased to any extent, the supply up to this
(Saturday) evening having amounted to only 2,864
quarters. The trifling nature of the home supply has,
however, failed to cause any uneasiness, liberal receipts,
viz., 20,646 quarters, having come to hand from abroad.
It must, however, be recollected that very little of the
foreign wheat is sufficiently fresh to make a good sack
of flour without an admixture of English; and, if the
latter comes forward in such small quantities as it has
done of late, its value must remain relatively above that
of the former. A considerable proportion of the English
left unsold on Monday was disposed of on Wednesday,
without any further decline occurring in quotations. On
Friday the millers tried hard to obtain a concession, but
finding factors more inclined to raise than to lower their
pretensions, and their wants being urgent, the whole on
sale was taken off at quite previous prices. Our market
has again been visited during the week by country
millers from distant parts of the kingdom, for the pur-
pose of purchasing foreign wheat; but finding importers
firmer than they had calculated on, the transactions have
not been particularly large, Early on Wednesday a few
parcels of Danzic were parted with, to clear vessels com-
ing on demurrage, at rates which would not have been
accepted at the beginning of the week ; but towards
the close of the market there was less pressure, and
we heard of the sale of a cargo of fine Rostock at 883.,
being Is. to 2s. per quarter above the highest offer made
for the same lot on Monday. Since then the disposi-
tion to purchase has increased, and a fair share of busi-
ness was done in the finer sorts on Friday at fully pre-
vious rates.
The concession made by the millers on Monday has
led to a somewhat better sale of flour, and a tolerable
quantity has been taken by the bakers during the week.
The transactions in American had not been of much
importance, the arrival of 33,705 barrels, and the ex-
pectation of further receipts, having led buyers to
expect a greater abatement in price than sellers have
been willing to submit to.
The supplies of barley have been small coastwise,
only 483 quarters having come to hand, and from abroad
5,686 quarters. This grain, has, nevertheless, hung very
heavily on hand ; indeed it has been absolutely impos-
sible to sell -except in quite retail quantity. In this
position of affairs quotations afford but very little
guidance as to the real value.
Malt has participated in the dullness which has pre-
vailed in the barley trade, and the turn has been in
favour of the purchaser.
The market has been sparingly supplied with oats,
and should we be much longer without large foreign
arrivals the dealers' stocks will run very short. Of
English only 84 quarters, Scotch none, Irish 4,205 quar-
ters (principally screenings), and foreign 6,566 quarters,
have been received during the week. Notwithstanding
the insignificance of the supply, business has remained
in the same languid state as before. Factors have, it is
true, displayed rather more confidence, and fine corn
could perhaps hardly be bought so well at the close as at
the commencement of the week ; but there has been a
total want of activity in the demand, which has rendered
it impossible to realise any advance.
Beaus and peas have come sparingly to hand, and the
inquiry for these articles has been of a strictly retail
character. Needy buyers have had to pay former terms,
but to have sold largely less money must have been
taken.
The arrivals of Indian corn have been more that equal
to the demand, and stocks have lately accumulated, the
effect of which has been an important fall in its value.
Our foreign advices are not of much interest this
week, business in grain having, it appears, remained in
much the same position at the different continental mar-
kets as before. At the lower Baltic ports the tendency
of prices had, it seems, been downwards; whilst at
Danzic,, as well as most of the markets in Holland, and
Belgium, and France, quotations of wheat and rye had
rather risen. Stocks appear nearly, if not quite, as
trifling on the continent as with us; and we are in-
clined to think that when what is new on passage to this
country shall have come to hand, the supplies will for a
time be unimportant.
Letters from Danzic, of the 12th instant, inform us
that the quantity of wheat in granary there had been
reduced into a very narrow compass, and that owing to
the want of sufficient water in the Vistula, great diffi-
culty was likely to be experienced in getting supplies
down from the interior. Holders of the little on hand
had, consequently, raised their pretensions ; and though
the business actually done had been trifling, an advance
of Is. to 2s. per quarter on the currency of that day
se'nnight had been partially established.
From Stettin our advices are of the 14th of June.
Though no increase had taken place in the deliveries
from the neighbouring farmers, business had become
dull in wheat, and very little was being shipped to Great
Britain. The last prices paid had been equivalent to
SOs. for red, and 82s. per quarter, free on board, for
white, the weight being only about 591 b. per bushel.
Rye had been in active request for transit into the in-
terior, and prices equal to 561. up to 60s. per quarter
had been paid for the article. The wind having been
contrary the expected arrivals from Russia had not come
to hand.
The accounts from Rostock are of the 17th of June.
No increase had taken place there in the supplies of
grain from the growers; and though the weather had,
on the whole, been favourable for the growing crops,
holders of wheat had remained decidedly firm.
At Konigsberg the tendency of prices had been rather
downwards, owing to an unexpected increase in the
supplies from Poland. Freights appear to have receded
materially all over the Baltic, which will be an item in
favour of the importer.
Ilamburgh advises of Tuesday last inform us that
very little had been passing there since the previous
post day in the grain trade ; holders of wheat on
the spot had, nevertheless, continued to ask 88s.
to 90s. per quarter for the best qualities of red,
weighing 60i1b. to 611 b. per bushel, and other kinds
had been held at proportionate rates. In barley and
oats scarcely anything had been done, and prices had
tended downwards. Rye on the spot had commanded
655. to 675. per quarter free on board.
In the Dutch markets rye has risen materially, and
in Belgium prices of wheat have advanced.
From Marseilles we learn that the trade had recovered
from the panic which had prevailed during the previous

week, and that a slight improvement from the lowest
point had taken place in prices.
From the Black Sea we learn that stocks of wheat and
Indian corn were large and vessels scarce, which latter
circumstance had rendered the execution of shipping
orders very difficult.

EMIGRATION TO NORTH
A M ERICA.
(From Charles Willmer's European Mail.)
The number of emigrants now crossing the
Atlantic, and the immense amount of sickness which

usually takes place on the voyage, has attracted a
good deal of attention from the fact, that the poor
who are thus afflicted are beyond the reach of
medical aid, not one ship out of fifty that sail with
emigrants carrying a surgeon. Efforts have been,
and indeed are now being made, for the purpose of
providing these vessels with medical assistance, and
among those who have been most energetic in their
efforts in endeavouring to accomplish this most de-
sirable end is Mrs. Maury, of Liverpool, who, in
speaking of the measures which have been adopted,
says, in a letter now before us—
" I subjoin a copy of the memorial which wd.s pre-
sented to the Senate and House of Representatives, in
Washington. The subject met with the entire appro-

bation of the President Of the United States, and4;vith

COMMITTEE. ON THE N4VICIA4
TION LAWS.
The Select Committee appointed by the House of
Commons, to inquire into the operation of the naviga-
tion-laws, met again on Tuesday. The following
Members were present :—Mr. Liddell, Mr. T. Baring,
Mr. Ricardo, Sir Howard Douglas, Admiral Dureiss•
Sir George Clerk, Mr. Villiers, Mr. Mitchell, anti
Mr. M‘Carthy. In the absence of Mr. M. Gibson
the chair was taken by Mr. Ricardo.
Mr. Phillips was called and examined..
shipping. in
st hh ießp byvraollku
err.,
01:.
nd
lafnßdßrtiharitellisanhdgn
.as—He
experiencew shipowneree ree
aa
would immetAately
be reduced to 30 per cent., and he shoulc.
very unwilling to own ships on such terms. lie
could purchase shipping in a foreign country at
much lower rate than he could here; and there were'
many ports abroad to which they would not be ad-
mitted, while all ships would be admitted into our
ports. From the cheapness, it would be an advan-
tage to the British ship owners to buy foreign ships,
and to navigate them with foreign sailors. Mr. Col-
quh.lun stated in his evidence that a ship could be
built, coppered, and copper-fastened at Lubeck, and
fitted for a voyage to India, at from 81. to 8/. 16s,
per ton ; a similar ship could not be built and fitted
out in England under from 161. to 171. per ton.
Taking the statement of Nr. Swale, that the wages
of a crew of thirteen men on board a Hamburg ship
of 350 tons amounted to 25/. 2s. 10d. per month,
while the wages on board a British ship of the same
(!s, which
tonnage amounted to 40/. 10s. per month, m.Wy foreign
countries gave their own ships great privi leg
was an advantage to them. Mr. Ild'GregoT stated
in his evidence that a British ship could take V'rench
produce to the 'United States ; he (Mr. P.)
knew of an instance when, by a mistake of an agent
at Liverpool, some articles of French produce were
shipped on board a vessel with a British cargo, anttl
that vessel, on its arrival in the United States, was
placed under seizure, and the owner was put to a
very great expense. Mr. M'Gregor had, he thought,
made a great many mistakes in the course of his
evidence. If England repealed her navigation laws,
and foreign countries maintained theirs, it would be
an advantage to the British shipowner to own foreign
ships. If a foreigner could own a French ship, it "
would be a fortune to him to trade between Havre
and India, as the French navigation laws were so
exclusive. He understood that the expense of build-
ing a good oak ship at Danzic, with the exception of
coppering and fitting her for sea, would be 8,3001.
for a ship of 800 tons, or 10/. 17s. 6d. per ton.
The freight received on her voyage from Dan zic to
London, with a cargo of railway sleepers, would pay the
expense of coppering her and provisioning her for an
Indian voyage. Such a vessel could not be built in
England under 15/. per ton, and there would be a
difference in the rate of insurance. The Prussian
ship would stand quite as long as the British ship.
The expense of building a similar ship in the United
States would be about 121. or 13/. per ton. As a
general rule, all foreign ships were navigated cheaper
than English vessels, and, of course, every one would
employ the foreign rather than the English seamen.
With regard to ship-building, if the navigation laws
were repealed, the number of naval artisans would
be greatly reduced; and in consequence, the Govern-
ment, when it wanted hands in the dockyards,
would be very much inconvenienced, unless they
also employed foreign shipwrights. About 200,000
seamen would either be thrown out of employ-
ment, or compelled to serve at a much lower
rate of wages, and rather than do that he
thought they would seek some other employment,
In fact, he believed that the repeal of the navigation-
laws would involve pecuniary loss to about 2,000 000
of people in this country. The greatest disadvantage
from the repeal of those laws would be the difficulty
of manning the navy, which could not be obviated
in any emergency unless they also employed
foreigners. At present, in any emergency, the navy
could obtain from 10,000 to 20,000 seamen from the
British mercantile marine. The effect of throwing
open only the foreign trade, and not the coasting
and colonial trade, would be a disadvantage, as they
had all the restrictions to submit to which they were
willing to put up with while protected, and in foreign
ports would have to compete with the foreigner who
had not those restrictions, who were badly paid
and badly fed. In taking a cargo to South Australia
he should be obliged to charge a higher freight
in consequence of the impossibility of obtain-
ing a return cargo, and from there on going to India
the ship would come into competition with the cheap
foreigners. If a return freight from the colonies were
to be obtained, it would not be of so much importance;
but it was notorious that 19 ships out of 20 did not
obtain a return cargo from the colonies, but were
obliged to go on to India for a cargo. He had been
much amused at the statements made by former wit-
nesses that the Australian colonies were inconveni-
enced by a dearth of British shipping to send their
produce home. The admission of Asiatic and
American produce in all bottoms would deprive the
British shipowner of the greatest advantage he at
present possessed, by giving the foreigners the long
voyage, as they built and navigated thir ships cheaper.
The repeal of the navigation laws of America and
Great Britain would throw into the American ship-
ping the great bulk of the carrying trade to this
country, as they would as a matter of course use their
own ships. The trade between America and this
country was almost exclusively an import trade.
By Mr. Mitchell.—The Americans at the present
moment were in possession of the great bulk of the
carrying trade. The American ships were nearly as
cheap as the cheapest foreign ships. The advantage
that would arise from allowing foreigners to compete
with Americans would be very small in this trade,
while the disadvantages would be very great.
By Mr. Ricardo.—The reciprocity treaties put the
United States on a better footing than we were,
because we admitted them to trade to our colonies,
and they had no colonies. He did not think that the
Americans had anything to fear from the ships of the
ports north of Europe. The north country ships
were more cheap, but more clumsily built
and fitted out. Our case with regard to com-
petition with these ships was verj different from
that of the Americans. The Amen-ans had many
great advantages over us. For example, they built
their ships cheaper, and they manned them as they
pleased ; they were subject to no restrictons such as
were under the Merchant Seamen's Act, and they
usually sailed with a very fair proportion of fo-
feigners. On the whole they navigated their ships a
great deal cheaper than we did.
By Sir George Clerk.—Although the na'igation
laws had been suspended, he was not aware tAat ad-
vantage of the privilege to bring provisions to this
country had been taken by foreign ships up to the
present period.. He believed the reason was that at
the time those laws were suspended foreign ships
were frozen up in their ports, and were unprepared
for the trade. Now, he understood, that several fo-
reign ships were on their way to America for the
purpose of bringing provisions to this country.
By Mr. Mitchell—He did not think that a re-
duction of freight of 11. per ton en sugar from the
West Indies would ever be felt by the consumers of
the article; the difference would be absorbed by the
importers and the exporters.
By Admiral Dundas—ln his opinion the repeal of
the navigation-laws would cause a great reduction in
first•class shipping of the country, and that
40,000,0001. of capital, which was at present em-
ployed in shipping here, would be transferred to
foreign countries. He was an advocate for the
examination of masters and mates.
By Mr. Ricardo—The Americans could build
ships 30 per cent. cheaper than we could, but our
ships lasted 30 per cent. better. He did not think
that we could build as cheaply as the Americans
with the exception of insurance, because after a
certain number of years all ships, foreign and
English, lost class at Lloyd's. The Americans for
the same amount of capital were enabled to send one-
third more vessels to sea than the British ship-
builders.
The Committee adjourned till Thursday.