The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-13 00:00:00

TRADE IN FRANCE.

There is no improvement worth notice in the
state of trade. The accounts from the manufactur-
ing districts speak of working short time. Some
attribute this stagnation to the high rate of discount
and to the scarcity of money. To this remark the
reply is, that if there was a good demand for pro-
duce manufacturers could very well afford to pay
7 per cent. for any accommodation they might
require. The fact is, that trade is depressed because
the armaments in progress have considerably
shaken public confiderce in the maintenance of
peace. There is no doubt that the American crisis
has deprived French manufacturers of some of their
best customers. It embarrassed them likewise in
another respect, for it forced them to pay cash
for the raw material used in their manufactories.
The French Government is, in the mean time, en-
deavouring to open new markets for French pro-
duce. It has extended the preliminary convention
of commerce and navigation concluded with the
republic of Uruguay for a further period of two
years.
A letter from Charleroi states that the iron trade
in that town is in a state of transition. The iron-
masters are waiting to see the result of the projected
treaty of commerce between France and Belgium.
Until the treaty is concluded the masters will not
execute any orders except at short date. They
appear the less disposed to depart from that system
as they expect a rise in the price of iron after the
conclusion of the treaty.
There is a great firmness in the price of wool,
and it would appear that the manufacturers have
no large stocks on hand. The arrival of oleaginous
seeds at Marseilles during the month of January"
being insufficient to satisfy the demands of the
soapboilers in that town, there is a rise on all raer'
chandise of that description disposable.
The prices of flour has become more firm within
the last eight days in Paris. The price of flour of
the same marks disposable, which has been quoted
for some weeks under the quotations for bakers
flour, has now risen nearly the level of the other.
It was quoted on Saturday at 66f. the sack of
157 kilogrammes. Bakers' flour is sold at from 64f.
to 68f. It is to be remarked that flour was cheaper,
for some weeks past in Paris than in the provincial,
markets. It is not extraordinary that the price or
flour should now become firm, when we consider
the immense reduction in the stock on hand. The
stock of flour in the Paris stores has decreased in
the month of January alone by 23,172 quintals,
while the stock on the Ist of the month was less by
143,340 quintals than the stock in the Paris
stores on the Ist of February, 1860. The factors
declared on Saturday 3,788 sacks of flour, of
which 100 of first quality sold for delivery within
30 days at from 65t. to 67f. 50c. the sack. The
Paris corn market was firm last week. The offers
of wheat were not over abundant, and prices were
well maintained at from 30f. 50c. to 37f. the sack
of 120 kilogrammes, according to quality. The corn
market at Marseilles is quiet, and prices slightly
declined last week. The corn markets on the
Saone are supported by a demand from Lyons and
the valley of the Rhone. The corn markets
Alsace, Bourgogne, Doubs, and the Jura are quiet,
but witliout any decline in prices. The farmers will
not yield, and all the corn brought to market it'
gradually disposed of. Accounts from Odessa state
that 100,000 hectolitres of wheat have been lour'
chased there, to be delivered in spring.