The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-06 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Jan. s.—For shipping yarns the
further advance of the Bank rate has rather
checked business, but there is a good inquiry, and
the advices from China are such as have led
some houses to operate pretty freely to-day, at
the full prices demanded by spinners. There
are some considerable orders in the market, which
are held back by the parties expecting to do better
by waiting. Prices are firm at the close, and there
is not the slightest giving way. In home-trade yarns
there is not much business going on, but the market
is, in the main, steady. Prices are nominally as
on Tuesday, but with no great pressure to sell. In
this branch there is very little change since Tuesday,
except that there is less business. In cloth the
alteration in the Bank rate has had the effect of
checking business very considerably. The absence
of stock prevents any apparent weakness from
manifesting itself so far. Manufacturers, though
not deeply engaged as a rule, at the present time
have sufficient orders to go on with to prevent much
anxiety on their part, and to keep them from press-
ing sales on the market. We have little evidence of
a disposition to purchase on the part of buyers.
They seem to be holding off from anything like
large operations, and the only business done seems to
be in small quantities. If the market presents any
new feature, it is in a slight diminution in prices.
We close with too little actual business transacted
to enable us to form an exact comparison of prices
with Tuesday. The Chamber of Commerce have
issued a report on the mildew question. They do
do not attach blame to any one class of the cloth
trade, they considering that mildew has arisen in
most classes from the ignorant use of certain ma-
terials and processes of sizing rather than from
culpable intention ; and they recommend a return
to the use of undrugged size.
NOTTINGIIA3I, sth.—We had a good attendance
at our Exchange-hall to-day. The demand for lace
yarns was less active, the advance of the rate of
discount having operated as a check. Prices re-
mained the same as last week. The demand for
hosiery yarns was moderate, and prices were un-
altered. Silks were firm all round. A very dull
demand was experienced for brown nets, but recent
rates were maintained.

M‘Dermott the Impostor again Convicted.

William M'Dermott, the pretended " son of the
ex-Lord Provost of Edinburgh," whose name has
frequently appeared in the papers as a remarkably
artful dodger, turned up again at the Preston Ses-
sions yesterday, on the charge of obtaining by false
pretences a watch, guard, &c., from a pawnbroker's
assistant ; a sovereign from Mr. Crook, proprietor
of the Red Lion, Preston ; and £5 from Captain
Rennie of the 90th Regiment. From the evidence
it appeared that some time ago the prisoner, who was
w ell dressed and somewhat intelligent, went to Capt.
Rennie, at Fulwood Barracks, near Preston, and
introduced himself to the gallant officer as " the
Hon. William Lawson, son of the Lord Provost
of Edinburgh." Afterwards he said that Major
Harvey, of the 74th Highlanders, at Edinburgh,
bad requested him to call upon the officers at Ful-
wood Barracks, when he went to Preston, and
" make friends with them." In course of conver-
sation which followed, the prisoner said that he was
going to Liverpool, but that as he was afraid that
the banks would be closed when he got there, he
should be obliged if Capt. Rennie would lend him
£5. Capt. Rennie, believing the statement, lent
the money named, and then the prisoner bid him
good day, with the assurance that he should have
the money next day. After the prisoner left Capt.
Rennie, he introduced himself to some of the non-
commissioned officers, told several fine tales, talked
about his family and military connexions, and got
the parties named to lend him several sums of
money. The prisoner then appears to have made
his way to Preston, and " put up " at the Red
Lion, one of the first hotels in the town. He gave
the landlord to understand that he was the nephew
of Colonel Hardy, of Fulwood Barracks ; that he
was going to Manchester, but should return in a
very short time ; and that he must have some
money lent until he returned. He then went out,
and proceeded to a pawnbroker's shop, told the
assistant that he had been on the spree and broken
his watch, and that his uncle, Colonel Hardy, would
be vexed if he had not one next day (Sunday)
when he went to church. The assistant lent the
prisoner his watch, guard, &c., on the understand-
ing that he should have them back on the afternoon
of the following day. The prisoner then returned
to the Red Lion, and borrowed a sovereign from
the landlord, who accompanied him to the railway
station, and saw him leave " for Manchester." The
prisoner, however, never returned, and the next
thing heard of him was his apprehension at Col-
chester for imposing on several parties there.. He
was sentenced to fifteen months' imprisonment.

SOUTH-EASTERN INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.—The
closing ceremony of this exhibition is announced to
take place at the painted hall of the Royal Hospital, Green-
wich, on the afternoon of Saturday, the 27th instant, when
the prizes and the certificates will be awarded to the suc-
cessful exhibitors by Viscount Sydney, Lord Lieutenant of
Kent. The exhibition, which was opened in October last,
has proved entirely successful, and will be closed to visi-
tors after Saturday, 13th inst.
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE CITY OF LONDON.
—Mr. John Richardson, member of the Court of
Common Council for the ward of Bishopsgate, has given
the following notice of motion for the next meeting of the
court—" That it is desirable a free public library should
be established in the Guildhall of the City of London, un-
der the control and at the cost of the corporation; and that
it be referred to the Library Committee to consider and
report forthwith to the Court of Common Council as to the
probable expense for estsblisitiog the same."