The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-03 00:00:00

State of Trade,

MANCHESTER, March 2.—ln shipping yarns there
has been a very large business doing to-day, at
somewhat better prices than were obtained on
Tuesday. The amount of business has not only
been large, but the demand has comprised orders
for nearly all markets. Prices have an upward ten-
dency at the close of the day. The market for home-
trade yarns has been firm and steady, with a mode-
rate amount of business at the full prices of Tuesday.
In cloth the market has been firm, with a disposition
still to buy, especially in shirtings for pretty early
delivery. As, however, manufacturers are but little
disposed to take orders, the labour question having
now assumed a serious character, some hindrance of
business may be ascribed to the uncertainty attend-
ing the execution of orders. There has been in some
cases an attempt to advance prices for goods, but
we can hardly report the attempt as successful. 'We
close with a restricted business in cloths generally,
and with quotations in the same position as on Tues-
day. The operative weavers of Blackburn and sur-
rounding districts have now preferred their claim to
an advance of wages, in a printed circular addressed
to the master manufacturers. They propose
an increase above the standard list of 10 per
cent. on cloths made from 36's yarns and upwards ;
of 15 per cent. on cloth made from 20's to 36's
yarns ; and of 20 per cent., on cloths from yarns
below 20's. In reply the masters have made an
offer of a general advance of 5 per cent. as a
compromise, which, however, it is understood,
has been declined. "Whether the operatives
will proceed to a strike remains to be seen.
An able summary of the market during the past
month is given in Messrs. Du Fay and Co.'s circu-
lar of yesterday :—" The trade of this district has
remained in nearly the same position as we reported
on the Ist ult. The high rate of discount has in-
fluenced prices very little, and steadiness has re-
mained the characteristic of business during thepast
month, as it was in the preceding one. Stocks have
not accumulated. The demand for yarns and goods
continues to absorb the present production, which
cannot be increased much, as there is a want of
workpeople. Several of our wealthy manufacturers
complain that they have looms standing owing to a
scarcity of weavers. This circumstance must be
borne in mind in estimating thepresent consumption
' of cotton, which cannot exceed 40,000 bales weekly,
and exporters take 15,000, according to the calcula-
tions of well-informed people. A branch of business
which is active just now is calico printing. Nearly
all our large printers have orders on hand, the com-
pletion of which will take two or three months, and
as there are no stocks of suitable goods to be met
with in the market, we request our friends to bear
this in mind, and transmit orders in good time, to
prevent disappointment. The caution which has been
dictated by high prices not to keep stocks of any
kind has led to a healthy state of things, but which
is a hindrance to the execution of many orders
which are limited as to time. Over production, under
such circumstances, cannot take place, but rather
short supplies to foreign markets, in which prices
will consequently be more easily kept up, which was
often not the case in former years. There are fewer
consignments made, because producers can have
bona fide orders atremunerativeprices. The greatest
increase in cotton goods duriw, the past year and up
to the present time has been to the United States
of America, being nearly double the quantity ex-
ported in 1864. India and China have also taken
largely in excess over the two preceding years. Our
exports to Egypt are also steadily increasing since our
imports of cotton from that country have become of
importance. As it is well known that stocks in
foreign countries are not large, it follows that the
exports of cotton fabrics during 1865 were not in
excess of actual wants."

CARDIFF, Ist.—There has been an average activity
in the steam coal trade during the past few days,
and the collieries are fairly employed. A large
number of vessels have cleared out of the docks, and
a good many arrivals have taken place. Business
has been favourably affected by the reduction in the
rate of discount, and orders have been received both
on foreign and home account. In the iron trade
there is no material change to note. American
orders are coming in slowly. Makers are able to
obtain current quotations, and no alteration is ex-
pected till spring, when an increase of specifications
is expected.
NOTTINGHAM, 2nd.—We had a moderate attend-
ance at our Exchange-hall to-day. The demand
for lace yarns ruled healthy, and higher prices were
asked ; late rates, however, were not generally ex-
ceeded. The business done in hosiery yarns was
fair, and fully late rates were obtained. The de-
mand for silks was slow, but recent prices were
fully made. Brown nets were without any important
change.

The Guardians of the Strand Union and
their Sick Poor.

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A number of the sick inmates of the Strand Union
Workhouse, after having been robbed of their
medical comforts and necessaries for years, are now
in grave danger of being killed off for want of com-
mon nursing and attendance. The ward containing
them is filled with acute cases. Consumption in its
most aggravated form, disorders which render the
sufferers helpless as infants, and completely depen-
dent upon others for moving out of, or even in bed
—the aggravated weakness and debility from which
there is no recovery—are all represented iu this room.
A fortnight ago on the medical officer of the Strand
Union paying his usual morning visit, he was
startled by one of the emaciated creatures he had
come to see suddenly exclaiming-4, There's land-
piracy going on here, sir, and I can't stand it any
longer." Pressed for an explanation, the speaker
charged the pauper wardsman, who had had sole
care of the room for years, with habitually de-
frauding all present of the stimulants ordered by
the doctor, and of drinking them himself. Beer,
port wine, brandy, and gin, were constantly pre-
scribed in the hope of temporarily prolonging
rapidly waning lives, and the man armed with su-
preme power over their administration had exercised
that power in a fashion worthy of a Cornish wrecker,
or of the wretches who haunt a battle-field to mur-
der its wounded and pilfer its dead.
An inquiry was instituted by the workhouse mas-
ter next day, at which the allegations were proved,
and after which the unworthy wardsman was re-
moved. Then came a difficulty. There was no other
pauper inmate sufficiently able-bodied to be entrusted
with the care of people so helplessly ill as to require
lifting and help. After due consideration it was de-
termined to apply to the guardians, representing the
cruel privations the surviving sick had undergone,
the certainty that the number of these had been ter-
ribly thinned through the untrustworthiness of a
pauper servant, the impossibility of finding another
inmate physically capable of undertaking the duty,
and finally, to ask the board to hire a qualified
nurse. This application was peremptorily refused.
One of the guardians met the difficulty of finding
an able-bodied inmate by iusisting that a poor
broken-down potman, who had come into the house
that day, because of his being too weak and infirm
to earn his livelihood, was exactly suited to discharge
the functions of nurse. This ex-potman, who trem-
bles from sheer debility whenever he is spoken to,
and whose whole system is shattered from ill health,
was appointed to and now fills the position of re-
ponsible sick nurse and wardsman to people who,
unless assisted, are unable to perform the commonest
acts of necessity with decency. The results may be
imagined, but not written, and in refusing proper
nursing to those intrusted to their tender mercies,
the Strand guardians are just as much guilty of
cruelty as if they withheld food, or applied the
branding iron or the thumb screw. If the ex-potman
is drunken as well as physically incompetent, the
paupers will die from exhaustion as well as neglect;
but if he be the most virtuous and self-denying of
his kind, his incapacity renders his presence a tor-
ture to those he cannot possibly assist.
The medical officer of the workhouse is fully cog-
nisant of the shameful state in which his patients
are left, but is powerless with the guardians, and
has been compelled to avail himself of the promise
of one of the inmates of the ward, in an advanced
state of consumption, that, when well enough, he
will act as assistant to the potman-nurse. It is in
this way the Strand union saves the sum a qualified
attendant would cost it in annual wage ; while its
sick poor are made to tend each other, or rather to
languish on in hopeless unalleviated misery until
mercifully relieved by death,—DeilyAcws.

~,,na

Trintit
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HER MAJESTY.

• WINDSOR CASTLE, Friday.
The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Frit°,
Alfred and the Prince of Leiningen, and attended
by Lieut.-Colonel Keppel and Lieut. Haig, Arrived
at the Castle from Marlborough House at 12 o'clock
to-day, to be present at the funeral of the late
Colonel the Hon. Sir C. B. Phipps, Keeper of her
Majesty's Privy Purse, which took place in
George's Chapel.
_ _

Major- General Seymour, Equerry in IVaitiegt
attended on behalf of her Majesty, and Colonel
Purves and Colonel Tyrwhitt on behalf of their
Royal Highnesses the Duchess and the Duke (11,
Cambridge.

The Prince of Wales returned to London in t 116)
afternoon.

The Princess of Wales took a carriage aril°
yesterday.

Their Serene Highnesses Prince and Princos
Hohenlohe Langenburg have arrived at Brow
Hotel.

His Excellency Baron de Penedo has left the
Brazilian Legation, at Cavendish-square to join the
baroness and family at Paris.
Lady Julia Lockwood, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lock-
wood, and Miss Bonar have left the Alexandra
Hotel, Hyde-park-corner, for Barcombe, paigutout
South Devon.

Lady Macdonald Lockhart and Mr. and W;
Macdonald Lockhart have arrived at Farrance s
Hotel from Lee Castle, near Lanark.
We have to announce the sudden death of Mr'
Spencer Compton, registrar of the Supreme Court
at Bombay, on the 16th ult. He was the oldest
son of the late Sir Herbert Compton, chief justice
of that presidency.