The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-02 00:00:00

7HE PRODUCE MARKETS.

(From Joseph Travers and Son's Circular of this day).
The tone of the produce markets continues strong.
TEA.—The operations of the week have been very large,
and prices have advanced • black leaf descriptions are fully
ld., and the reddish leaf kinds ld. to lid. dearer, the latter
having been bought largely by speculators and for export.
Public sales took place on the 31st ult. and the Ist instant.
The first day was occupied principally with Assams, 544 of
which were printed as Kumaon prepared in the Govern-
ment factories in the north' west provinces of India. The
wh, le of the latter were taken in, the quality not being
suitable for this market ; the former sold with much spirit,
Pekoes realising full prices, whilst Souchongs sold 3d., and
Congous and broken.-leaf kinds about 4d. to sd. dearer. the
remainder of the sale, consisting of 20,719 packages of
China tea, sold with much spirit at very full prices.
CONSOLS, WHEAT, AND COTTON,—The funds have been
firm during the week, and Consols have advanced from 93
to 931. In wheat there has been a reaction of between is
and 2s per qr. ; while in cotton, for the first time for many
weeks, there has also been a fall of a per lb., caused partly
by statements, which are believed to be well founded, that
the resent speculation has been carried on mainly by very
weak persons, the regular operators having realised their
profits some time ago.
The Stocks in Bonded Warehouses indicate that the
country is well supplied with goods. In a majority of cases
the stocks show a considerable increase compared with the
corresponding period of last year, and the instances of de-
crease are, for the most part, unimportant. The articles
of which the quantities have augmented are,—coffee, 15 per
cent. ; currants, 30 per'cent.; raisins, 12i per cent. ; rum,
11 per cent. ; sugar, 40 per cent. ; molasses, 120 per cent. ;
and tobacco, 50 per cent.
COMMERCIAL CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.—Experi-
enced merchants express great confidence in the commercial
soundness of the country at tho present moment. The
belief that the existing stock of cotton—coupled with
the quantity that may yet be expected from India, and
the numerous small parcels that seem likely to arrive
from hitherto unlooked-for quarters, will suffice to
keep the Lancashire population in moderate employ-
ment—steadily increases, while there is every sign that the
demand for fabrics composed of other staples, such as wool,
flax, hair, jute, &c., will cause great activity in those
branches of manufacture at most remunerative terms. The
latest statistical returns seem also to establish that the
country is rich in nearly all kinds of imported produce. This
is partly shown by the above account of the stocks held in the
Customs bonded warehouses of the United Kingdom; and
such further figures as can be obtained prove that we hold
likewise a highly satisfactory amount of those various articles
which are not liable to duty, and of which, therefore, the Cus-
toms take no account. Though the consumption hasbeen com-
paratively large, the importations throughout the whole of the
current year have, in a majority of instances, been of still
greater comparative magnitude. This bas been the case
especially in timber, guano, hemp, jute, hair, tar, copper,
and other metals, quicksilver, salted provisions, rice, silk
manufactures, some kinds of leather manufactures, and a
variety of other articles; aad, as the past month has wit-
nessed a rather general rise of prices, the position of holders
must be favourable.
BOARD OP TRADE RETURNS FOR SEPTEMBER.—These
returns, which were published at the beginning of the week,
have attracted considerable attention from the fact that they
show a greater falling off in our export trade than has oc-
curred in any previous month of the present year. The
decrease in the declared value of our shipments has been 18
per cent,
12i per comparedcent, with the total of September, 1860, and
t. of this diminution has been in connexion with
cotton goods. -..
favourable as
they
the figures are not intrinsically so un-
correspondins. appear, since, in comparison with the
was sound and active month of 1859, when trade in every respect
e, the falling off is only 3) per cent.
Meanwhile, our, w
import trade has been on a satisfactory
scale. Of course
much less wheat and flour
than in September, 18680 tZking
t the arrivals have still been
beyond the average of. former years, and quite sufficient to
maintain the stocks in our granaries. The comarative
imports and exports of raw
material
im-
portation under every head, rial show an increased im-

IMPRISONMENT FOR liii.rt.
lc NDER THE NEW
first
tepers of the metro-
BANKRUPTCY ACT —Yesterday the
new Act.
to the Court
politer, debtors' prisons made their
of Bankruptcy, in pursuance of the
tablishment
number is in Whitecross-street Prison, whieht* The largest
is now under the able management of ConstableMesiseBrB7o.Bh
courts,
and Lay, the principal officers. There are
they are called, prisoners committed by the superior as
and 15 by the county courts, which latter prisonoefrrsi
000
come under the new law. There are upwards not
soners in the Queen's Prison committed by the Court
Chancery and the superior courts. According to the new-
law, the Registrar of the Court of Bankruptcy is to attend
at the prisons and hold a court, and if he thinks fit he can
release the parties, and mention the district in which the
estate is to•be administered. In the event of any prisoner
refusing to submit to examination by the registr,,r, or de-
clining* to make a full discovery of his estate and effects, the
registrar is to report the same to the court, and the com-
missioner has power to commit him to the county gaol for
one month with or without hard labour, which imprison-
ment may be terminated before the time by complying with
the direction of the court. Some of the prisoners in the
metropolitan prisons have been a long time in confinement
—two for nine years and two for seven years in Whitecross-
street Prison. A genaral gaol delivery may now shortly
be expected. The registrar will have to attend Lot sooner
than a week, and not longer than three weeks, after the
return. In future a monthly return is to be made of all
he prisoners confined for debt.