The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-03 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

LEEDS, lan. I.—Considering the character of the
weather, which has been miserably sloppy and
uncomfortable for all persons passing to or from
the cloth-halls or warehouses, there has
been a fair amount of business done in the public
cloth market today. As a rule, settling accounts
rather than buying goods is the order of the
day for the first market or two of the new
year, and to-day's proceedings are not of an
unexceptionable character. In a review of
the woollen trade of this district for the
past year the _Leeds Mercury of this day says :
" Viewing the home trade for the year in the aggre-
gate, we think it will not be an improvement on the
previous year, nor will it be much less. However,
if under the unfavourable circumstances of the past
year the trade has maintained a firm position, it
must be considered satisfactory. The foreign trade
in the aggregate, like the home, has shown no
decided improvement. To the United States,
Brazil, Buenos Ayres, and the East Indies our ex-
ports have fallen off considerably, but the deficiency
is more than counterbalanced by the increase to
China and Hong Kong and North America. The
present state of the woollen trade is sound and
healthy. Stocks are not large, nor is there any great
preparation going on—nothing beyond what the
usual requirements of the season warrant ; and as
to the prospects of the new y ear, let us hope they
will improve as it proceeds."

ROCIiDALE, 31st: The closing flannel and wool
markets here for the year 1860 have been of a
rather quiet character. Prices of goods, however,
continue steady, the manufacturers are well
employed, and the prospects for the spring trade
ave of a fair character, though they are somewhat
" vicklied over" with a feeling of fear as respects
cor.itinental affairs. The flannel trade of this dis-
tric t for the year 1860 has been one unparal-
leled as to its extent, and the same maybe said as to
the aggregate profits. Throughout the greater
part of the year the demand has been in advance
of the supply-, and this circumstance would warrant
the inference that the manufacturers have obtained
highly remunerative prices for their goods. Pro-
fits, however, have been diminished by both the
advances which from time to time have been made
in the price of wool, and by an increase in the cost
of production. Notwithstanding these drawbacks,
there is no doubt the manufacturers have had a very
profitable year. Wool is moderately firm at present,
but it is not so buoy -ant as it was a few months ago,
the fears about a deficient supply having become
little more than a tl ling of the past."

COUN TRY MARKETS.

SIIE:FFIELD-JAN. 1.

At the market to-day there was a good attendance, and
an active business was done in new wheat, which was in
advance from is to 2s per qr. The samples of old wheat
were also a little dearer. Oats, beans, barley, and other
articles firm. The following are the quotations :

Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...24s Od to 28s Od
White If • lf ...258 Od to 28s Od
New red , 99 ...20s Od to 25s Od
New white „ 91 ...Zia Od to 2686 d
Beans If ~ ...20s Od to 22s Od
Peas, per qr
Grinding barley, per qr 33s Od to 356 Od
Malting ditto, „ 3ss Od to 43s Od
Oats 7 f 258 6d to 34s Od
Millers' prices for flour-2s 3d, 2s sd, and 2s 7d pat
141 b.