The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-28 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Aug. 27.—The dulness and decline
in cotton at Liverpool has reacted upon this market,
and we have had a very quiet day, with a further
decline in prices. In shipping yarns there has been
some business, but it has only been done where
sellers have been willing to make some concessions.
In most kinds of these yarns the decline is equal to
Id. to id. per lb. upon the rates of last week. In
home trade yarns there has been little done, and
prices are easier than on Friday last for nearly all
descriptions. The decline reported in the cloth-
market last week still continues, and nearly all
classes of fabrics are purchaseable at lower rates
than on last Tuesday. This decline has been ac-
companied by a marked indisposition ou the part of
buyers to operate even at the lowest rates. The
commercial advices from India continue very un-
favourable, and the accounts to hand by a telegram
to the 21st inst. arc of a kind to deter shippers to
the markets of Calcutta and Bombay from doing
any business of consequence. To-day the only
offers making for India goods have been at such
low prices as to place business almost out of the
question. Cloths suiting the markets of China
sustain their values relatively better than those
for India ; but even these are quoted lower.
Under these circumstances the manufacturers at-
tending the market to-day are again disposed to
discuss the advisability of lessening produc-
tion, and it seems probable that the continual
sacrifices they have to make in price, from the in-
sufficiency of demand to carry off the supply of
goods, will again force them to run their mills ,
fewer hours per day. Messrs. John Slagg and Co.
report of to-day's cloth market :
" Prices of all sorts have sustained a further de-
cline during the week, and the demand has become
so languid as to render quotations quite nominal.
The continued unfavourable accounts from India
have caused an almost complete cessation of busi-
ness in those staples, and the few offers made to-day
are at greatly reduced prices, and have led to little
or no business."

CARDIFF, 26.—There is but little alteration to
note in the steam coal trade, operations at the
three docks being still characterised by a degree of
slackness. A good many vessels of the larger ton-
nage now patronise Penarth in consequence of the
easy facilities for loading and of ingress and egress.
The slight reaction for the better in the Con-
tinental demand, referred to last week, is so
far maintained, and probabilities are in favour of
a further increase. The dividend of the Taff
Vale Railway Company for the past half-year
is at the rate of 8 per cent. per annum, as com-
pared with 9 per cent. in the corresponding half-
year, the decrease being mainly attributable in a
falling off in the trafib c.msequeut upon the dul-
ness in the demand for steam coal, and the extreme
depression in the iron trade. The Rhymney dividend
is at the rate of 3 per cent., being the same as for
the corresponding half-year. A commencement has
been made on the railway which is to connect the
extensive Tondu works with the Penarth dock.
For railway iron, upon which this district mainly
depends, there is scarcely any perceptible increase
in the demand, but the inquiries made are more
numerous, and indicate that actual engagements
will ultimately be increased. In miscellaneous
qualities there is more business doing. lin plates
continue to sell freely.
LEEDS, 27.—The cloth halls to-day have pre-
sented about the usual activity for a Tuesday's mar-
ket, and the business done was equal to that of this
day se'nnight. As the harvest prospects are now
favourable, and the price of wheat has fallen, the
expectations of a good home trade for autumn
and winter goods by the working classes has
increased, and hence a little more business is notice-
able in some classes of goods. The merchants
and wholesale buyers, however, having already
Lid in fair stocks, the goods sold in the halls
to-day did not exceed in the aggregate what may
be put down as the average of the last month. The
goods sold were of a general character, including
most of the kinds of fabrics lately noticed in these
reports as being in vogue. The manufacturers in
the surrounding districts are quite as well em-
ployed as for some time past, and take the woollen
manufacture of the West Riding as a whole it is,
though quiet, in a sound and satisfactory condition.
Prices of wool, woollen yarns, and goods are alike
firm. _ _

ROCHDALE, 26.—The flannel market has been
rather better attended to-day than last Monday.
There was no great activity in the way of pur-
chases, merchants showing the same languid dispo-
sition to speculate beyond almost their immediate
requirements, as we have lately reported as the
characteristic feature of these markets. The goods
sold comprised about au equal proportion of plain
and fancy flannels, and the prices realised were
equal to those of the past month. Yorkshire goods
were also steady as to prices, but only a small bulk
of goods were sold. Wools are firm in price,' but
not much of any quality was 601C1 to-day,