The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-02 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CHINA.—Wo have received lettersfroindiina to the
21st of June, brought on by her Majesty's steamer
Driver. The stocks of cotton in Canton were very
heavy. The following is a copy of the report of stocks
and deliveries from Ist to 31st May :
Deliveries. Stocks.
American 465 bales
Bombay 10,983 do.
Bengal
Madras 3,579 do.

15,526 103,898
In June the deliveries would exceed 25,000 bales.
Malwa opium had advanced at Hong-Kong. The quo-
tations were—Malwa, old, 715 dolls. to 720 dolls. ; new,
700 dolls. ; Patna, 715 dolls. ; Benares, 695 dolls. Prices
were also improving on the coast. There appears to
have been a good deal of excitement in the opium
market, owing chiefly to gambling speculations among
some foreign residents, who had been selling more drug
than they had in their possession at the time, in the
hope of a fall in price : to meet their engagements they
were thus compelled to buy on the best *ms possible.
Complaints of the quality of Malwa ere still vary
great. We hare been informed that of ten chests sent
on by a friend in March last, that on being surveyed
they were found to be short each chest fourteen catties
in weight. The adulteration of opium in Bombay ap-
pears to be carried on to such an extent, that if steps are
not taken to put an end to it, the existence of the trade
will be endangered. The Hong-Kong port regulations
are so defective that the information with regard to im-
ports and exports cannot be depended on. Robberies
are still of frequent occurrence. Sickness continuo to
prevail to a great extent, and the climate is very unfa-
vourably reported on. Trade at Chusan was dull—opium
selling in small quantities at 725 dollars per chest. The
inhabitants there were quite peaceable. The Friend of
China says :—" Considering its commanding position on
the coast of China, facilities for trade, salubrity of the
climate, and respectability of its inhabitants, it is a
matter of regret that it was not ceded to the Crown of
Great Britain in perpetuity. As compared with this
barren and unhealthy island it is a hundred times
to be preferred, and might have been obtained with
equal ease." A serious riot had occurred at Canton
on the 17th of June. Business was in consequence
greatly obstructed. Tho advices from Shanghae are
good—trade, though not very brisk, was progressing
favourably. There had been several attempts to
smuggle opium, which, in most instances, had
proved successful. The demand for goods at Ningpo
was somewhat less active than at Shanghae ; the
prices obtained were similar. Amoy.—The Friend of
China says—" That though the nearest of all the new
ports, Amoy is the one of which we hear the least.
There is a constant communication kept up between this
colony and that port by Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and
Co.'s opium vessels, but there is a mystery thrown over
all the movements of their ships engaged in the illicit
trade, which is not to be penetrated ; they come and
go, 'without mail, passenger, or even the ceremony of
intimating their arrival or intended departure to the
harbour-master.' Like the phantom-ship of the Cape,
they pass to and fro, and nothing more is known. The
great proportion of the legitimate trade with Amoy has
consisted of cotton wool and Straits' produce. In cotton
piece goods, for the first five months after opening the
port, the gross amount of sales did not exceed 35,000
dolls. ; of cotton twist 52,000 dolls. ; woollens 14,000
dolls. In all articles of import—with the exception of
opium—for the first year the amount will not exceed
1,000,000 dolls. The exports, so far, are trifling, being
rather.under 30,000 dolls."
MANILLA.—From hence we have received advices to
the Ist of June. The market is very. favourably
reported on. There were no new importations
of cotton goods, and the market was bare of
grey and white shirtings, American domestics and
drills, all of which are much wanted. Coloured goods
were also in great demand. Woollens were
plentiful, and not in great demand. A lot of English
bar iron had sold at 3 dollars per picul ; this description
was in great demand. The market was well supplied
with Sweedish bar, nail rod, and hoop iron. The market
was pretty well supplied with copper. Pig and sheet
lead was in no demand, and the stocks large. No de-
mand for spelter, and the market was well supplied with
steel ; the current rates were 3,4, and 6 dolls. per picul.
some lots of coffee had been sold for 7} dolls. per picul.
Segars were very scarce ; and we are advised that there
will be no more exportations of cheroots from Manilla
until the new crop comes in, and that cannot be sooner
than eight months. There was little doing in Exchange,
in consequence of the great scarcity of bills. Tonnage
scarce at 31. 108. to 41. per 20 cwt.
CsLeurrA.—A committee has been appointed by the
supreme Government, to examine and report on the pro-
priety of constructing wet docks at Calcutta sufficiently
capacious to hold all the shipping of that port. We
learn from the Friend of India, that the gentlemen placed
on the committee are Colonels Forbes and Irvine, Cap-
tain Goodwyn, of the Engineers, the Master Attend-
' ant, and three mercantile gentlemen—Messrs. Beckwith,
Ma,ckilligin. and Stopford. As usual at this season, the
advices of the probable out-turn of the Indigo crop are
very conflictory. The districts have either had too
much or too little rain. The want of rain in the dis
tricts of Bhaugulpore, Purneah, Tirhoot, Patna, Be-
nares, Ghazeepore, Moorshedabad and Shahabad, had
been greatly felt ; mnch mischief had also been done by
locusts, which have been very numerous this season.
however, in progress throughout
Lower
rfacittuernignag was,
Bengal.
The crop is estimated at between
130,000 and 140,000 factory maunds. The exports from
Calcutta to Great Britain and elsewhere, from Ist No-
vember 1843 to 10th July 1844, are given at—Chests
44,885 aa. 164,321 factory maunds.

(From the Overland Price Current, Aug. 27.)
TIIE MARKET.—OBSERVATIONS.

BOMBAY, AuG. 27.—Since the departure of the last
mail the average quantity of rain for the advanced state
of the monsoon has fallen, and the accounts received
from the interior hold out every prospect of good crops
of almost all kinds of produce. The business of the
season cannot be said to have fairly commenced till after
" Cocoa-nut day" (this day), but the native dealers
have shown a disposition to purchase before the usual
period, and holders, generally, look for, and demand,
advanced prices for most descriptions of goods. The
low rate of exchange now current will render this the
more necessary. Owing to this firmness on the part of
importers, the transactions have been more limited than
they would otherwise have been.
METALS.—There have been but very few transactions
in Metals during the month. Copper of all descriptions
has declined. BraziQrs about rs 2, sheathing rs id, and
tile about rs 2, rs 12, per cent., per cwt, from our quota-
tions of last month, but the holders decline submitting
to the reduced prices offered. There has been but little
demand for Spelter. A sale was made about fourteen
days ago at rs. 14 12ans. per cwt., and another about a
week ago at rs. 14 15ans. An advance of 14 annas per
box has been given on Tin Plates. lu. Iron we have no