The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-29 00:00:00

PRICE . .. 4d.
STAMPED 53.

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Oct. 27.—1 n shipping yarns we
have had a better market to-day, with a fair
amount of business, at low prices. The prices ob-
tainable are 'miserably inadequate as compared
with the cost of cotton. In some c tses it is said
that spinners won]. 1 have required 2 1. per lb. more
for cotton sold t)-day than their goods would rea-
lize to have left them free from loss. Yet- buyers
are offering stiil lower prices, and spinners could'
have done double the am )unt of business tran-
sacted if they cou'd hive met the demand on these
terms. This branch of the market closes better
than for some tine p Ist, in coasepence of the
stocks which have been nave 1. Ia top yarns for
the home trade spinners have demanded -id. per
lb. extra to meet the advance on cotton, bat it has
been given only to a moderate extent. Where
buyers have immediate and pressing wants they
have been obliged to give this advance, but
they do not buy with alacrity, because there is
no confidence in the movement in cotton which
has led to the advance. In the cloth market
the inactivity reported last week continued
without abatement up to Sattay, with depressed
prices. The large business in cotton on Saturday
caused manufacturers to increase their prices, to
cover the rise in the raw material, and to some ex-
tent-this strinulated the demand for cloth, but Mu.
business resulting was not of importance as to
amount. To-day we have again had an inactive
and depressed market. The demand has been very
languid, and the aggregate business effected is re-
ported to have been small. Buyers appear deter-
mined to restrict their operations within narrow
limits, and have shown to-day but little disposition
to pay the advanoe asked by spinners for yarn. In-
dividual instances of resort to short time increase,
though there is no combined movement, and we
learn that a large firm in Preston, one of the largest
shirting-producing concerns in the district, have
given notice of limiting their machinery to three
days' production per week from next Monday.

CARDIFF, 26th.—The steam coal trade is charac-
terised by a degree of dulness rather unusual at this
period of the year, but this, to some extent, is owing
to exceptional circumstances. Yet, at the same
time, it must be admitted, that fresh orders do not
come to hand so readidly as usual. For several weeks
past merchants and shippers have had to. contend
with the difficulty of a want.of tonnage suitable for
the more distant ports, and unless a change speedily
occurs in the number of arrivals, the clearances
will continue to be below the average. The out-
put at the collieries in the district is more than suf-
ficient to meet the requirements of merchants and
shippers, and a large number of loaded waggons are
as a rule, on the sidings waiting the arrival of ton-
age, and the effect of this will soon be experienced
at the collieries, as the hands will be put on short
time. Shipments to the East continue below the
average, while to South America some heavy car-
goes have been sent. There is an improvement
gradually setting in in the house coal trade, the
shipments coastwise showing a favourable increase
during the past week. Operations at the ironwork s
are being steadily carried on, and there is every
prospect of the improvement referred to in previous
reports being maintained.
LEEDS, 27th.—The markets in the cloth-halls
this morning have been of a moderate character,
considering the season of the year. There was not
a large attendance of buyers, but those presen t
purchased a fair amount of goods in the aggregate.
The demand for heavy fabrics was confined to
small selections for present rather than prospec-
tive requirements, and little was done in ordinary
blacks, whether superfine or union. The chief run
was upon tweeds, but, as on Saturday last, a little
slackness in the demand for that class of goods is
observable, and buyers have little or no difficulty in
obtaining what they want. A tolerably good sale
was effected in meltons and claret and gray mix-
tures were the easiest to dispose of. A few
samples of spring goods were made up, and the
market ruled firm as to price. The flax trade is
not very brisk, but prices of the raw material are
firm, with an upward rather than a downward
tendency. Yarns and threads are also firm in
price.

ROCHDALE, 26th.—Though winter is fast ap-
proaching there is no improvement to note in the
general condition of the flannel. Indeed, some
manufacturers, owing to the slackness, are begin-
ning to run short time. To-day's market was only
thinly attended by buyers, and plain flannels were
only in :poor request, but there was a little better
demand for fancies. The Yorkshire goods and
wool trades were' also flat, and little business was
done. Prices, however, of flannels, Yorkshire
goods, and wools are all firm.