The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-31 00:00:00

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Coll 12 Tel Con and Main (L) 271 28
100 Fmi and Colonial Gov 271, 5. 5, 8. 75. 85
Trust 6p c Bonds,. 91 99 2 TIIPIIICS and Me sey
D G(511 Credtknisc.t (1,1 5 1 dis Marine liisur (I, .. 21 31 pm
14 Gen Sun Navigation IS 30 St Tobacco Gp c Loan.
7 Ilooper's Tel Works 211 dis 5
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17 Hudson's Bay B5 91 Upper Canada .... 5 11 pm
9, 3-16 5 U Marine, Lvpool IL 0, 5 pm
45 Indrbbr,GutPer.and 20 Union Steamship (L) 22 24
Tel Works (L) .... 28 39 • 6 United Dia Corprii (14 2 1 dis
381 5 UnivMarinehisur kU 45 51pin
5 InternlFinan SocIL) 15 lidis 12 War,:ant Finance .... 97 Xs

MARKETS

--+-~--

LONDON CORN EXCHANGE, SATURDAT.—London averages
—Wheat, 3,804 at 51s. Sd. ; barley, 1,238 at 375. 10d. ; oats, 44,

at 30s. ad

GLOUCESTER CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—There was a
good supply of English wheat at this market to-day, which
brought last week's prices. Foreign wheat was slow of sale, but
without change. Maize was is. and barley 6d. per qr. higher.
Oats were a dull trade.

NEWCASTLE ON TYNE CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—
There was a good supply of English wheat at this market this
morning, but very little demand for it. Last Saturday's prices
were maintained ; flour, oats, and barley were at previous rates
but a downward tendency was manifested.

DONCASTER CORN MARKET, SATURDAY.—Theie was not
a large supply of wheat on offer to-day. At the opening of the
market an advance of 6d. to is. per three bushels was obtained,
but at the close a portion of the rise was lost. Barley was in
small supply, and good request, at about late rates. There
was a better inquiry for oats and beans, but prices were un-
changed.
- •

DONCASTER CATTLE MARKET, SATIIRDAY.—The market
was well supplied with all descriptions of stock to-day.
There was a good business passing, at about previous quota-
tions.

ABERDEEN CATTLE TRADE, SATURDAY. —The supplies
during the past week at the diAriet markets have been about
the average, but better sorts arc deftclent. Trade was stiffer
for secondary qualities, but prime fat sorts were bought readily
at 735. to 755, per cwt. Secondary, 675. to 70s. per cwt. A herd
of pure polled breeding cattle, Castle Fraser, the choicest in
Scotland, were sold off. There was a 'large assemblage of
breeders. Twenty-eight - animals, consisting of bulls, cows,
heifers, awl calves, fetched an averagc of £37 10s. each.
3IETROPOLITAN 1i EAT MARKET, SATURDAY.—Full
average supplies of meat on sale. The trade has been slow, at
our quotations :—Beef, from 3s. Bd. to 5s ; mutton, 45. to bS. 2d. ;
veal, 4s. Bd. to 55.4 d. ; and pork, 4s. to ss. Bd. per 81bs. by the
carcase.

--
.METROPOLITAN HAY AND STRAW MARKET, SATURDAY.
—Mr. Oharles James Easton thus reports on the state of the hay
market :—Our market continues to be heavily supplied with
Scotch, Irish, and American fodder, consequently the trade is de-
pressed, but prices remain without any quotable alterations :
Prime meadow hay,l27s. 6d. to 1355.; inferior ditto, 110 s. to 1205.;
prime first-cut clover, 130 s. to 140 s. ; inferior ditto, 115 s. to
1255. ; prime second-cut clover, 120 s. to 130 s. ; inferior ditto,
105 s. to ills. ; and straw, 30s. to 345. per load.

METROPOLITAN HIDE AND SKIN MARKET, SATURDAY.
-Market hides: 561135. to 641b5., aid to 30. ; 641bs. to 721bs.
30. to 30.; 721bs. to Nibs., 30. to 4d. ; 801bs. to &Abs., 4(1. to
; BSlbs. to 961b5., 4d. to 40.; 961bs. to 1041b5., 40. to 4p.
1041bs. to 1121b5., 40. to 4d. Horse hides, 10s. Cd. to 12s.
calf skins-light, 2s. to 4s. ; full, 7s. 6d. Sheep skins-
polled, Os. to 7s. 6d. ; half-breds, 4s. 4(1. to ss. 2d. ; Downs, 3s.
to as. 10d.

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, SATURDAY. Opening
Report.—This market opened quietly to-day. Sales about
10,000 bales. The demand for arrivals is at last night's rates..
The imports are 8,401 bales. Closing Report.—The market con-
tinues quiet to-day on the spot and to arrive. Sales 10,000
bales. Prices are unchanged. Savannah, ship named, Bd. ;
Orleans, ship named, Bd. 7-16ths.
LEEDS TRADE REPORT, SATURDAY.—There has been a
wretched market to-day for woollen goods, beoanse the last and
greatest disaster to France does not seem here to guarantee
peace. The marked absence of large buyers seems to indicate
that such is the general sentiment. Existing doubts as to tha
future delay the opening of the spring trade. It is only the
larger firms who as yet take any interest in it-; others are ex-
clusively bent on clearing out old stocks. Efforts
of that kind made to day brought prices down con-
siderably, but no large parcels were sold, not even of tweeds
or Victorias. The few small buyers here only wanted a few
assortments. Some heavy goods are sought after such as presi-
dents, reversibles, naps, and pilots. There is both a home and
foreign trade in these goods, and the great bulk of these sup-
plies are sent direct from the Dewsbury district. A failure in
eight or nine thousand pounds has taken place, and a guarantee
four shillings in the pound has been accepted. It is an excep-
tional case. Wool is held firmly, the London sales justifying it,
though lower ranges of prices are yet looked for. The flax trade
is slack. There aro no better prices for yarn.

THE WEEKLY PRESS.

THE PROPOSED ARMISTICE.
Speculation, says the Saturday Review, as to who the
person or persons can be through whom peacr, it is hoped,
may be made, must move in a very narrow range. The
Government of Tours does not appear to think well of the
negotiations. It, of course, assents generally to the pro
posal for an armistice, because it would be glad enough if
the German leaders insisted on some terms which England
thought unreasonable, and so a coolness might be brought
about between England and Germany. But it has allowed
it to be understood that. it does not see that much good can
come from this sadden intervention of England. Count
Bismarck has met the overture in a simple manner;
'by
saying that an armistice can only be accepted if made 'on
the basis of the cession of some portion of French terri-
tory. This was going to the point at once,. and if any
further attempt to bring about an armistice is made, it
must be made because there is reason to suppose that some
one whose name will carry weight in France, has come to
the conclusion that territory must be ceded, and is ready
to tell his countrymen what is his opinion. It is ex-
tremely easy, and probably prudent, for persons who have
no responsibility and no control over public affairs in
France, like M. Guizot and the Empress, to
take the high line, and earn the reputation of
standing wholly aloof from the humiliation of
Trance. But those who have really to make up their
minds and to act must either let the war go on and see
France become more and more exhausted, or they must
counsel, in however adroit, careful, and hesitating a man-
ner, a cession of French territory. Everything points to
the probability—which may now be regarded as little
short of a certainty—that Bazaine, who knows the military
position of France thoroughly. had made up his mind
that territory had better be sacrificed than that the war
should go on. Nor does a prospect of immediate peace
lie in the convocation of a representative Assembly.
It would be impossible to arrest the tide of war
until such an Assembly had been got together, and
the difficulties as to its election and free deliberation seem
insuperable. The sole chance of peace appears to lie in
the possibility that three or four of the men who now
guide France may agree that certain terms ought to be
accepted, and may say this openly to their countrymen,
and proceed at once to carry out the steps necessary for
peace being actually made on these terms. An Assembly
might then be called together to give a legal colouring to
the proceeding, and Germany would take care to retain in
her hands sufficient guarantees against loss through an
obstinate refusal to abide by the terms previously agreed
on. This chance is of the slenderest possible kind, but it
is a chance, and the English Government was perhaps
right not to let even so poor a chance pass by.
The Spectator thinks that if King 'William is willing to
make peace without a cession of territory, Lord Granville's
project of an armistice may be useful, but only on that
condition. Taken by itself, it would seem to be a very
futile proposal. No such arrangement, to begin with, can
be of the smallest effect unless General Trochu agrees to
it, for his sorties are the events of the campaign ;
and except to facilitate a peace already agreed
on, he would be mad to agree to it. That
termination of the war would be most welcome to
English Liberals, and while it would end a scene of
horror, it would leave Paris, and therefore the Republic,
with all the credit, and the just credit, of having saved
France,—and they, if not the entire country, would
warmly applaud Lord Granville's action. But where is
the evidence at present of any such return to moderation,
of any revision of terms on which Germany has insisted
from the day of the capitulation of Sedan ? The trains are
still burdened with the shells urged forward for the Beige of
Paris ; the Provincial Correspondence still publishes little
communiques deriding the lawyers elected by the rabble;
the Press is still in full cry for Alsace and Lorraine : the
Kings of Germany are still on their way to Versailles to
elect an Emperor, as it were, on the field of battle. All
things are possible when individual wills are as powerful
as ever they were in the middle ages, but all the evidence
is in favour of continued war. Germany demands pro-
vinces ; France will not give them; and so the war must
go on to the bitter end, which end may not, after all, be
the dismemberment of France. Paris has not been
entered yet, and while Paris is safe, all is safe, for all may
be regained.
The Economist thinks the armistice which our Govern-
ment has suggested and endeavoured to procure would
undoubtedly be an excellent thing if 'they could really get
it. In this case, if the fighting once stops, we may be
sure it will never begin again. But is such cessation
possible? We have to deal, not with two calm Govern•
ments, but with two impassioned nations. On the one side,
Germany has been told to ask for—has begun to wish for—
has convinced herself she has aright to—Alsace and German-
speaking Lorraine. Probably Count Bismarck, now that
he sees there is a very serious resistance in Paris, and
now that he feels what a difficulty it is to have on his
hands a great country without an organisation, without a
Government, and without anyone to treat with, would
wish that Germany would be content with less, and that
he had not stimulated her to ask for so much. But, right
or wrong, fortunately or unfortunately, the German feeling
exists and some satisfaction at least must be given to it.
Evenworse is the French feeling. The provinces, perhaps,
as a whole—though with exceptions which are a minority—
would be glad of peace on any terms nearly. But such is
not so with Paris, or at any rate with the kernel of Paris—
the working men. At present all revolutionary action is
suppressed, because the leaders of the working men—that
is, of the insurrectionary class—will not embarrass any
Government which is defending Paris. But if that
Government attempts to surrender Paris, or hints at it,
the motive which now holds back the ouvriers will cease to
work—and who knows what they will do ? General
Trochu cannot be relied on, for he is only the leader of an
army cemented by enthusiasm, and, therefore, while he is
their leader he cannot use his own judgment, but must do
what the enthusiasts say. The Germans might perhaps
be made somewhat rational : at least, after a slight emo-
tion of discontent, they might be content with less than
they ask—with Strasburg perhaps, or part of the Vosges;
—but how a novernment like the present French Go-
vernment, named to defend the soil of France, can, with.
out offending its nominator, cede that soil, we do not see.
We believe there would be an insurrection if they tried.