The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-07 00:00:00

REVIEW OF THE BRITISH CORN
TRADE DURING THE PAST WEEK.
The recent showers hav:og afforded the requisite
moisture for enabling farmers to commence ploughing,
field work has been pretty actively begun ; and
for some time to come the preparation of the
soil and the committing of the seed to the
ground, will engage the attention of the agricul-
turist. Some falling off has already taken place in
the deliveries from the growers, and we must reckon on
short supplies during the next month or six weeks.
Under these circumstances we see no reason to except
a reaction in prices ; on the contrary, we deem
it by no means improbable that a further
advance
may be established. That the deficiency in the
potato crop is very serious becomes
from day to day
more evident; the lifting of this root is now in full pro-
gress, and the accounts from all quarters agree in
describing the produce as exceedingly short. What with
the disease, the shortness of the breadth of ground origi-
nally planted, and the ill effects of an unusually dry, hot
summer, the yield will, we fear, scarcely amount to one-
half of what is grown in ordinary seasons. The conse-
quences of a loss of one-half, or even a third of the potato
crop it is difficult to estimate; nearly half of the people of
Ireland subsist almost wholly on this article, and it is so
generally and extensively used by the poorer classes in
England and Scotland as to render this crop only inferior
in importance to that of Wheat. Great anxiety is, con-
sequently, felt as to how the masses are to be provided with
wholesome food during the approaching winter ; and it is
now regarded as a positive certainty that prices of all sorts
of provisions will rule high. Wheat has already advanced
16. to 18s. per quarter from the lowest point ; prices
have steadily moved upward almost without a check since
the termination of harvest, althoughlthe farmers have kept
the markets well supplied. Such having been the case, with
liberal deliveries from the growers, we can hardly calculate
on a re-action now that we have arrived at a period of the
year when the supplies from the farmers are almost sure to
fall off considerably. This, at least, appears to be the
general opinion; and merchants and millers have lately
evinced greater anxiety to get into stock than they have
displayed at any previous period. At most of the lead-
ing provincial markets held during the week the demand
has been sufficiently active to enable sellers to obtain
enhanced rates.
At Liverpool, on Tuesday, Wheat was quoted at 6d.
per 701bs. higher than on that day se'nnight; and most
other articles rose in proportion. Barrelled Flour
found takers at 3s. 6d. per barrel over former rates.
Oats were 2d. per 451b5., and Beans and Peas Is. to 2s.
per quarter dearer. Later in the week buyers became
unwilling to pay these enhanced terms, and the business
done in Wheat at the port on Friday was at prices a
shade below those previously current.
From the chief towns in Yorkshire we have advices
of advancing prices. At Leeds and Hull busines was
not particularly brisk on Tuesday, but the millers
had to pay an advance of 3i. per quarter on Wheat.
The Wakefield accounts, of Friday, are of a more lively
character, but the advance was not greater than the first-
named market.
From the large consuming towns west and northwest
of the metropolis the advices are of a similar nature to
the reports from the places above referred to, whilst at
many of the markets in the agricultural districts the rise
has been even more important.
Some of the shipping ports on the east coast have
been visited by the buyers from France and Holland,
which has no doubt assisted to give an impetus to prices,
and in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, &c., similar qua-
lities of wheat to those sold two months ago at 445. to
455. have this week realised 58s. to 60s. per quarter.
By our Scotch letters it appears that the failure of the
potato crop is as serious in that as in other parts of
the kingdom. The prospect of the comparative
scarcity during the winter, and the continued advance in
the quotations of provisions in the south, had caused
holders of grain to become very indifferent about
realising. Both at Edinburgh and Glasgow wheat and
Oats were quoted higher on Wednesday than on that
day week, and a further enhancement was confidently
reckoned upon.
The accounts from Ireland are truly distressing; in
some parts of the island, the people have, through want,
committed excesses which it has required the military to
quell, and in the encounters between the former and
latter, blood has already been spilt. That the utmost
distress prevails there in consequence of the failure of
the potato crop, is undoubted ; and it is fearful to con-
template what may be the effects should the approaching
winter prove severe.
The arrivals of wheat coastwise into London have
amounted to 7,067 qrs. during the week, showing a con-
siderable decrease as compared with the receipts of the
precedir.g eight days. The quantity exhibited at Mark-
lane by land-carriage samples from the home counties
has also been moderate ; indeed the show on the Essex,
Kent, and Suffolk sands was so trifling, both on Wed-
nesday and Friday, as to render it difficult for the millers
to secure sufficient for their immediate wants. The trans-
actions were consequently on rather a restricted scale, but
the business done was, in most cases, at prices Is. to 2s. per
qr. above those current in the beginning of the week : this
advance was general on Friday. The demand for free fo-
reign Wheat has undergone a decided improvement
since our last, and some rather extensive purchases have
been made. On Wednesday holders were generally sa-
tisfied to accept previous prices, but towards the close of
The week enhanced terms were insisted on, and Mon-
day's rates were in several instances exceeded by 2s. per
qr. Fine old Rostock Wheat was the sort most
sought after, and the best qualities were held at
60s. to 635. per qr. There is still a good stock of old
remaining in granary ; the bulk consists, however, of
secondary and inferior kinds, a large proportion of the
fine qualities having gradually passed into consumption.
In bonded Wheat nothing of interest has transpired ;
not so much from want of demand as from the extra-
vagant pretensions of holders. The fall of the duty
must now be very rapid, as the averages are coming
high from all quarters : the last weekly return for the
kingdom (535. Id.) was Is. 10d. per quarter higher than
that previously published ; and though the duty is at
present Bs., it will in all probability recede to the lowest
point by the end of the month. The little bonded
wheat here is consequently held at prices within Is. per
quarter of those of tree, and there is no more induce-
ment to speculate in the one than in the other. The
few parcels which have changed hands have been taken
for shipment to France, where prices continue so, high as
to leave a tolerable margin for profit on purchases made
here.

The rise of ss. per sack on Flour established last
Monday has been pretty freely paid by the bakers, and
a good business has been done in the article during the
week. American Flour has been in lively request ; and
though 12,072 barrels have arrived within the last eight
days, and further receipts are expected, good brands
have been easily placed at 30s. in bond, or 345. to 355.
duty paid.
The arrivals of Barley have been moderate, and the
greater part of what has come to hand from the east
coast has gone direct to the maltsters and distillers; the
display of samples at Mark lane has, therefore, been
trifling. Superior malting and good grinding qualities
have met with a fair share of attention, and in some in-
stances Monday's quotations have been slightly exceeded
for these descriptions ; the intermediate sorts have, on
the other hand, moved off somewhat slowly at previous
prices. The duty on this grain (and the other articles
regulated by the Barley averages) receded to the mini-
mum point ; and Rye, Beans, and Peas, as well as Barley,
may now be importeu at a duty of 2s. per quarter.
The supply of Malt has barely kept pace with the de-
mand, and the value of this article has had an upward
tendency.
Of the total 26,313 qrs. of Oats reported during the
week, 12,234 qrs. are groin Ireland and 10,710 q-s. from
abroad, the receipts coastwise having been scanty in the
extreme ; nearly the whole of those received from Ire-
land have consisted of this year's growth. The weight
of the new Irish is barely so heavy as it has been some
previous seasons, hut the quality of those hitherto re-
ceived has in other respects been good ; the prices
realised for the best have been 303. to 325. per quarter.
Old Corn, whether of home or foreign growth, has been
held at full terms ; and it was difficult, on Friday, to
purehase good fresh parcels at the prices current in the
beginning of the week.
The operations in English Beans have, from the want
of supplies, been unimportant; holders have, however,
exhibited great firmness, and needy buyers have hat to
pay very full prices. Egyptian Beans in bond have been
inquired for, and as much as 355. per quarter has been
paid.
Peas have come to hand very sparingly; and with
but little passing in the article, we have no alteration to
notice in quotations.
The inquiry for Indian Corn has rather slackened,
and it is impossible to obtain the extreme rates of last
week either for floating cargoes or for parcels on the
spot.