The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-13 00:00:00

State of Trade.

BELFAST, Dec. 11.—Flax—The great severity of
the weather latterly militated much against extent
of supplies in the various markets of the province.
Demand was not active, and prices generally were
lower. Rates ruling in Derry and Strabane formed
an exception, prices in these markets having rather
advanced. Yarns—The trade continues to be greatly
depressed. Stocks increasing. Spinners exhibit
great aversion to make concession in prices ; still, in
some instances, lower figures prevailed. Linens,
brown—All descriptions of power-looms, with the
exception of roughs, printing lawns, and drills suit-
able for bleaching, are difficult of sale, and prices
rule in favour of buyers. Handlootn goods are slow
of sale. This does not apply to linen handkerchiefs,
printing lawns, linens bleached and finished. Little
business doing on home or American account. Stocks
n our large warehouses are small ; pries have not
undergone any:change.
NOTTINGHAM, 12th.—In hosiery the home trade
for winter goods is quiet, owing to the mildness of the
weather; but, in consequence of the firmness of the
cotton market at Liverpool, there is a more active
inquiry for spring goods. The foreign trade is quiet,
there is nothing of importance to note beyond the
tendency of yarns to advance in price. ',ln lace ma-
nufacturers complain that the general trade is ex-
ceedingly quiet. There is a slight improvement in
the foreign business, in consequence of orders from
German buyers, who, however, buy cautiously.
After Christmas more activity is expected.
ROCHDALE, 10th.—The attendance of buyers in
the flannel-market to-day was rather limited, and
though purchases were made cautiously, about as
much business was done as last week. The goods
selected included a fair portion of both heavy and
light fabrics, and the general range of prices was as
high as last month's quotations. The manufacturers
keep steadily employed, most of them being engaged
on spring goods, the orders for which, however, are
reported not to be large. The Yorkshire goods trade
is still quiet, and prices without change.

TESTIMONIAL TO .1111 t. 11. R. FORSTER.—Tues-
day evening a largo party of the friends of Mr. henry
Rumsey Forster, lately manager in London for the well-
known firm of S. Allsopp and Sous, of Burton-on-
Trent, dined together at the Albion Tavern, Aldersgate-
street, to present Mr. Forster with a valuable gold watch
and massive appendages, together with a purse of 200
guineas, "in token of the esteem and regard felt for him
by many friends who have experienced his unvarying
courtesy of manner and kindliness of nature, with integ-
rity of conduct." Mr. Thos. Winterbotham filled the chair,
and the hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. Chas. Ileginbot-
torn facing the chairman. After partaking of a well-served
dinner, the chairman in an exceedingly complimentary
address proposed the health of Mr. Forster, and handed
him the testimonial of his friends' esteem amidst great ap-
plause. Mr. Forster, in reply, thanked the company for
the kind manner in which they had marked their appre-
ciation of his conduct whilst carrying out business rela-
tions with them, and said he trusted that in his new capa-
city the good esteem which he had acquired would be pre-
served and increased.

FISH IN COLD WATER.—Waters too salt are ad-
verse to the fattening and thriftiness of fish, probably
also to their increase—witness the pitting of oysters and
mussels, the ascent of rivers by fish to deposit their spawn,
and a score of other familiar facts. Warm seas produce but
poor-fleshed fish. Maury even tolls us that the fish of the
sea afford, perhaps, the best indication as to the cold cur-
rents in it. The Atlantic cities and towns of America owe
their excellent fish-market to the stream of cold water
from the north, which runs along the coast. Tho tempera-
ture of the Mediterranean ig four or five degrees above the
ocean temperature of the same latitude ; and the fish there
are mostly indifferent. On the other hand, the tempera-
ture along the American coast is several degrees below that
of the ocean, and from Maine to Florida tables are supplied
with the most excellent of fish. The sheep's-head of this
cold current, so much esteemed in Virginia and the Caro-
linas, loses its flavour and is considered worthless when
taken on the warm coral banks of the Bahamas. The same
is the case with other fish. In the cold water of that coast
they are delicious ; in the warm water on the other edge
of the Gulf Stream, their flesh is soft and unfit for table.
—Dickens's " All th,e Year Round."

A VOICE FROM THE DEEP.--A bottle has been
picked up on the beach at Schevening, near the Hague, by
a fisherman, which on being opened contained the follow -
lag :—" On board the brig Margaret, Oct. 22, lost our
reckoning—sprung a leak on the 14th—hands worn out at
the pumps. We shall sink in au hour—all hope gone.
Forward this, if found, to my brother, John Clarke, Prince
of Wales Theatre, London." The burgomaster has sent it
as desired, and Mr. Clarke is much distressed at the
melancholy tidings.

Sir Frederick Pollock delivered the silver
medals of the London Photographic Society, which have
been awarded to the various successful candidates, last
evening, at 8 o'clock, in the society's rooms at King's
College. Sir Frederick, since his retirement from office,
still continues president of that society, and takes the same
active interest in its welfare as he has hitherto done.

A HARDENED MALEFACTOR.—The execution of
Balague, at Foix, in France, for the murder of his sister,
took place three days back. When led to execution he be-
haved in a most shameless manner, rejecting the services
of the chaplain, and shouting continuously on his way to
the scaffold, " Vivo Robespierre !" "Viva St. Just !"
" Vivo '93 !"

LIICESTER RAMS FOR NEW ZEALAND.—Mr. J.
Borton, of Barton-house, Mallon, the " champion-breeder
of England," has sold two of his prize sheep—the winners
of the Great Yorkshire and the Groat North of England
shows—for exportation to the flocks of Major Whitmore,
Now Zealand.

NARROW ESCAPE.—On Tuesday afternoon a
singular accident occurred at the Malton Station.
There is a great amount of shunting of goods trains car-
ried on, and one of these trains was backing inte a siding
just as the express to Scarborough, which funs through
Malton at full speed, was due. The first goods waggon
by some means got off the rails, and went at right angles
across the main line. Not a moment was to spare, and by
the extraordinary smartness of the company's servants the
waggon " snigged" off, and in less than a minute the
express v
Na
trains rushed by.

FRIED FISH DELICACIES.—At the Mnrylebone
Police-court, y estorday, William Rouch, one of the sani-
tary inspectors of St. Pancras, asked the magistrate to
condemn somo fish. He said he was in the Grafton-road,
Kentish-town, and saw a cart and horse belonging to a
man who keeps a fried fish shop in the neighbourhood
standing in the middle of the road. The man in the cart
was sorting the fish (plaice) from one pad into another.
He went and examined, and found the fish in a putrid
state, and quite unfit for human food. The fish was bought
for half-a-crown a pad at Billingsgate. He seized the fish,
and brought it to be condemned. Rouch was sworn to the
abovo facts, and the fish was condemned.

Professor Oakeley, the successor of Professor
Donaldson in the music chair in the University of Edin-
burgh, on Tuesday delivered his inaugural address—de-
layed in consequence of ill health—in the music class-
room, to an enthusiastic audience.