The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-08 00:00:00

State of Trade.

MANCHESTER, DEC. 7.--Sellers of shipping yarns
report a little more tone in the market to-day than
has prevailed since Tuesday, with rather more busi-
ness doing ; but in some kinds of yarn there are
considerable stocks, and spinners under these cir-
cumstances have met the demand freely by accept-
ing Tuesday's prices. Any attempt at the least
advance by spinners is met by buyers with a refusal
to operate. In home-trade yarns there has been
rather more business:and the hands of spinners seem
to be little strengthened by the firm position of the
cotton market. In cloth there has been rather more
inquiry than any time this week previously-, but it
has not resulted in any marked increase in business.
A good deal more firmness is manifested by manu-
facturers. Their position from lowness of prices in
the cloth market, on the one hand, and the strength
of the cotton market on the other, has become so
ruinous that they seem more disposed to resist a de-
cline than they have yet been, and have hopes, from
the greatly lessened production of cloth and the
dimished stocks on hand, that they will be success-
ful. At present buyers appear to be equally stub-
born, and hence a limited business.
BARNSLEY, 7TH.—In South Yorkshire the iron
trade remains quiet, without any prospects of im-
provement at present, although some houses are
doing a good trade ; but on the whole there is a
general scarcity of orders, and in consequence of
this a great number of men have been paid off, and
are now idle, while others are only partially em-
ployed. There is a moderate trade in hoops, plates,
and sheets, and at some works there is a brisk busi-
ness in bar iron. The boilermakers are well em-
ployed at present, there being orders in hand for
several large boilers for mills and collieries. In
cold-blast iron there is an average trade doing, but
makers experience great difficulty in securing a
sufficient supply of ironstone, although the Tan-
kersley and other mines are kept fully going.
The steel trade continues in the same brisk state
which has characterisei it of late, and, as orders
continue to arrive from America, the houses
engaged in this branch of trade are likely to have
full work for their men for some time to come,
although the orders on home account are not so nu-
merous as they have been. Makers of Bessemer are
equally busy, and their weekly out-put is well
maintained, there being a good inquiry for engine-
cranks, axles, tyres, wheels, &c., manufactured by
this process. There is more doing in armour-plates
than for some time, the contract for 200 tons for
encasing the sides of the iron-clad Monarch having
been received in this district. An order for 20 iron
shields on Government account for the embrasures
on the fortifications at Malta and;Gibraltar has been
placed with Messrs. Cammell, of Sheffield. There
is a moderate demand for. pig iron, but the puddlers
are not doing much at present, yet the quantity of
ore raised in the district is not equal to the demand,
and a large quantity is imported from the iron-
stone field on the Lincolnshire side of the Trent.
The coal trade continues brisk, there being, if any-
thing, a still greater demand owing to the dispute
in Derbyshire, and as there are no prospects of a
settlement there we are likely to have an enormous
trade for some time to come. The orders for slack
and coke making and engine fuel have fallen off
considerably of late in consequence of the dulness of
the iron trade and the short time movement at the
Lancaster cotton-mills, which has had the most
disastrous effect on the tonnage to that county. The
tonnage by the Great Northern and other lines to
London and the south still keeps up, and is likely
to do so for some time, as there are plenty of orders
from both the metropolitan and other merchants,
who are " stacking" for the winter months. There
is a good demand for bards and softs from the north
of Europe through the ports of Hull, Goole, and
Grimsby ; but this cannot continue much longer,
as the Baltic will shortly be blocked by ice. For
" Silkstones" and Barnsley descriptions there is an
equally good trade, and all the pits are in full work,
and some of time larger ones are drawing between
3,000 and 4,000 tons per week, all of which is moved
off without having recourse to stacking on the pit-
bank. The coke trade -is rather depressed, but as
the ironworks at North Lincolnshire and on the
Trent are in full work, the demand is quite equal to
the supply at the present rate of manufacture.

Nineteenth Middlesex (Working Men's
College) Rifle Volunteers.

The distribution of prizes to the successful com-
petitors of the 19th Middlesex (Working Men's Col-
lege) Rifle Volunteer Corps took place last evening
in 'Westminster Hall, in the presence of a large num-
ber of ladies and gentlemen, friends of the members
of the corps. The ball was brilliantly lighted, and
the dais, which was chiefly occupied by ladies, and
on which tho valuable prizes to be distributed were
placed, presented a very splendid appearance. At
8 o'clock the corps, under the command of Lieut.-
Col. Thos. Hughes, M.P., marched into the hall,
preceded by its band, and the men took up their
position at either side of the hall.
Mrs. Thomas Hughes, who was to distribute the
prizes, then came upon the dais, and was loudly
cheered, and the proceedings of the evening imme-
diately commenced.
Lieut.-Col. HuGuEs, M.P., came forward, and,
addressing the corps, said he was happy to be able,
at the end of the year 1866, to congratulate the
corps upon its conduct, and the results of its corps
life, as he might call it. The members of the corps
stood 1 retty much as they did at the end of last
year. In 1865 they bad 627 enrolled members, and
this year the number was 612, which showed a de-
crease of 15. The efficient strength last year was
498, and this year the number was 492, showing a
loss of six efficient members. So far they had lost
a little ground ; but when he came to the more im-
portant points of extra efficiency and marksmanship
it would be found that the progress of the 19th
Middlesex during the year had been extremely satis-
factory. In 1865 the corps had 149 extra efficients
who had earned the corps the extra 10s. given by the
Government for a certain amount of skill in shoot-
ing. This year they had 252 extra efficients, being
an increase of 103. (Applause.) Whereas last year
they had only 28 marksmen, they had this year 57.
With respect to drill, he could also congratulate
the corps. The very high efficiency of the men in
shooting might be judged by this test—that in the
general competition 16 winners made au average of
52 points, which was very little less than an ave-
rage of a centre to every shot. As to the finances
of the corps, they were iu a much better position
than at the end of 1865 ; and he might say, with
reference to one matter, that the citizen army of
this great country ought to be self-supporting, and
never apply in other quarters for assistance. Re-
ferring to the secession of 30 men from one division
on account of the election of an officer, the lieut.-
colonel said he had always stated that the different
companies would have the privilege of electing their
own officers, subject to the veto which he was bound
to exercise with respect to any name sent in of
which he did not approve, and he thought that was
the proper system in an army constituted as the
volunteer army was. Notwithstanding the seces-
sion the system would continue. After some fur-
ther remarks Lieut.-Col. Hughes concluded amidst
applause.
Col. COLVILLE, Assistant-Inspector of Volunteers
and commander of the Wimbledon camp, said al-
though he had no official connection with the corps,
it was no stranger to him. He had met it for seve-
ral years at Brighton and other fields, as well as at
Wimbledon camp this year. He had been present
at the inspection of the corps, and he could not
speak in too high praise of their appearance and
movements, and he was glad to find that their
colonel was able to handle his battalion so efficiently
as he did. (Cheers.) He hoped the 19th would
continue to maintain the high character which it
had always possessed. (Applause.)
Mrs. IIuGHEs then came forward and distributed
the battalion prizes, 11 in number ; and the com-
pany prizes, upwards of 50 in number, were then
distributed to those whose skill or good conduct
had entitled them to the distinction.
At the conclusion of the distribution Major Ox-
LEY returned thanks, in the name of the corps, to
Mrs. Hughes for the kind and graceful manner in
which she presented the prises.
Lieut.-Col. HuunEs, M.P., returned thanks on
the part of Mrs. Hughes, and the proceedings ter-
minated.

Clank

HER MAJESTY, &C

11TINDson CASTLE, Friday.

The Queen, accompanied by her Royal Highness
Princess Beatrice, walked and drove yesterday after-
noon. Her Majesty drove out this morning in a
carriage and four, attended by the Marchioness of
Ely and Jim. Flora Macdonald.
ILr Royal highness Princess Beatrice went out
walking.

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Leopold and
Prince Henry of Prussia also walked out, attended
by Mr. L-gg and Captain You Schroetter.
The Duke and Duchess of Beaufort and Lord
Bloomfield arrived at the Castle yesterday, and had
the honour of dining with the Queen and the royal
family.

ARRIVAL OF THE PRINCE OF WALES•

Yesterday afternoon his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, attended by Lord Frederick Paulet,
Major Teesdale, and Captain Ellis, arrived in
London from Paris, which city he passed through
on his way home from St. Petersburg. On arriving
at Paris on Thursiqy morlilng 'Lis royal highness
proceeded to the Hotel Bristol, where he slept,
leaving the French capital at seven o'clock yester-
day morning.

TEE LATE GALE.

LLANDUDNO, Friday Evening.

During a gale from N.N.W. this afternoon (gar
John Williams, Esq.), a small vessel was observed
at anchor in the bay with a signal of distress flying.
The Sisters' Memorial lifeboat, of the National Lif-
eboat Institution, was at once launched and manned,
and succeeded in bringing ashore the two men on
board the vessel, which was the smack Cy info, of
Alinwch, bound from Mostyn to that port with
coals.

HOLYHEAD, Friday Evening.
The Princess of Wales lifeboat, belonging to the
National Lifeboat Institution stationed at this placa
(reports Captain Cunnah), was launched this morn-
ing, while the wind was blowing very heavy from
the W. to the assistance of the ship Himalaya,
bound from Liverpool to Calcutta, which vessel had
hoisted a signal of distress. It was found that she
had parted with one anchor, and was riding with
only one down. The lifeboat brought ashore the
master, who employed the services of two steam tugs,
and they have brought his vessel safely into the neW
harbour, after slipping the remaining anchor.
FLEETWOOD, Friday Evening.
The Edward Wasey lifeboat, of the National
Lifeboat Institution, stationed at this place (reports
John Wignall, Esq.) was happily the means this
day, during a fearful gale of wind, of rescuing the
master, twelve hands, and a Liverpool pilot, from
the Norwegian barque Inga, which was found in 3
dismasted state off the Danger Patch. The vessel
was bound from Miramichi, in North America, to
Fleetwood.

PORTLEVEN, CORNWALL, Dec. 6.
During very thick weather yesterday, the Willa
blowing very hard (says F. Penberthy, Esq.)) a
barque was seen in the bay apparently making for
the land. As soon as her dangerous position Was
observed, the lifeboat Agnes Robartes, belonging
to the National Lifeboat Institution, stationed at
Porthleven, put off in a very heavy sea to the assist"
ante of the vessel, and some of the lifeboat's cress'
afterwards proceeded with her to Falmouth at the
request of the master. She was the barque Salmi,
bound from Shields to Civita Vecchia with coals.
The master had lost his reckoning, as the weather
had been thick for some days past.
WITITBURN, DURHAM, Dec. 0.
The lifeboat Thomas 'Wilson, of the Nationsi
Lifeboat Institution, on this station, was the means
a few days ago, during blowing weather, of saving
the crew, consisting of twelve men, of the barque
Margaret and Jane, of Shields, bound from A-1i;
cante to the Tyne with Esparto grass, which vessel
went on the "White Steel," and became a total wreel"
in a very short time. On the following night the
same lifeboat went out in a heavy sea to the barque
Caroline Elizabeth, of and from London, in ballast,
which had gone on the " North Steel." The life-
boat was providentially the means of rescuing the
whole of the shipwrecked crew, consisting of 13
men.