The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-11 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

CARDIFF, Jan. 9.—The collieries of the district
are gradually getting into regular work after the
Christmas holidays, but the output is not yet quite
so large as it will be in a week or two. For steam
coal there is a good foreign demand, and the stocks
held on the continent, excepting in one or two in-
stances, are stated to be below the average. The
prospects of the spring trade are decidedly encou-
raging, more particularly as regards the Continental
and West India markets. Up to the commence-
ment of this week the house coal trade has not been
so active as expected, and orders were rather
scarce. This arose mainly through the compara-
tively mild season keeping down the consumption,
but the change of weather for the last two or three
days has already .brought about an increased in-
quiry. New house coal collieries are about to be
opened in the Rhoudda and Ely valleys. Since the
preliminary meeting of ironmasters greater firm-
ness has characterised the iron trade, and in some
instances higher prices have been obtained. Ameri-
can agents are stipulating for earlier deliveries than
usual, owing, no doubt, to the anticipated advance
in the import tariff. Tin plates show an upward
tendency, and charcoal I. C. are quoted 325. 6d. at
the works, and other qualities in proportion.
LEICESTER, 10th.—The hosiery trade is yet quiet,
it being too early in the new year for any real de-
velopment of business. The market is, however,
healthy. The absence of winter weather continues
to operate against the sale of goods usually in de-
mand at this time of the year. In the rural dis-
tricts business is flat, and the operatives only par-
tially employed. Worsted yarns are without im-
portant alteration in price. The wool-market
continues firm, and high prices are quoted.
NOTTINGHAM, 10th.—There is very little altera..
tion in the lace trade. The high rate of discount
checks speculation, and most branches of the trade
have been rather quiet during the past few days.
The cotton branch is without improvement, there
being very little doing in either the plain or fancy
departments. Black silk laces are finishing to a
small extent. The new edging trade continues ex-
tremely dull. There is a little doing in silk Mech-
lins and quillings, and an improvement in the
demand of all kinds of goods is expected shortly.
The hosiery trade remains very active. There is a
good home demand, and shipping orders are still
plentiful. The workpeople are fully employed, and
good wages are received. Yarns are firm, at high
rates.

The Iron trade.

WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday Evening.

The first of the quarterly assemblies of the iron-
masters of this district for the current year and
quarter was held in this town this afternoon. The
attendance was small, and no appearance of anima-
tion was manifested ; scarcely any of the exporting
houses were represented, and the few buyers present
postponed their engagements until the meeting at
Birmingham on Thursday. The stringency which
now prevails in the money market, and the uncer-
tainty with regard to the future in that respect,
aapyn, iywntcahisipnagl the
speculation
have undoubtedly exercised a chilling influence on
the trade; but, notwithstanding the drawback, it is
not by any means in an unsatisfactory state. All
the principal works have been tolerably well engaged.
For marked iron the price list has been obtained,
and the second-class firms and makers have been
getting prices much nearer to the regulation scale
than was the case at the commencement of last quar-
ter, when there was a difference of £l, and even as
much as 255. per ton. Tbtouhpteicaesxsacoeftpttofiaonnevtoetraroyattheitisoantise;
respect to sheet iron, as to which the trade in this
the
goingo
fo naant tie
lnilaotectOeeatnrliinetpygoa rfitstot of last
ad-
vance in the price of iron. There is not now anypro-
bability (if ever there was) that a movement in that
direction will take place; but the condition of the
trade for the next three months will very much de-
pend on the extent of the demand on account of
America. There is at this moment a fair sprinkling
of orders in for that quarter; but there can be no
doubt that a considerable portion of the iron shipped
in the course of the last two months was in the way
of speculation andupon consignment. If remittances
are received in due course, so far well ; otherwise
there are firms in this locality who it is pretty cer-
tain would be compromised, though they have not
themselves speculated. In these circumstances, the
turn which matters may take in this respect is looked
for with much interest, not unmixed with anxiety.
The market for pig-iron was reported firm ; the
forgemen having had their turn, the pigmasters have
now the best of it. Staffordshire pig, all mine, was
quoted to-day at £4, but that may be regarded as
a top price. Cold-blast iron, Shropshire, is £5 per
i ton.

The men in different parts of the district are
restless, and manifest a spirit of insubordination ;
it is thought that they are meditating fresh demaxids
on the slightest indication of any improvement in
the trade, and, as past experience has shown there
is no limit to their folly, it will be no matter for
surprise if some move is attempted.