The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-10 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL MARKETS.

MANCHESTER, January 9.—The quiet tone of
this market continues, and buyers can operate more
easily than they could on Tuesday. Sellers, how-
ever, are scarcely prepared to accept the prices
which were taken a fortnight since, but above those
rates there are very few offers made. Where pro-
ducers are prepared to accept such prices a mode-
ratebusiness can be done.
BIRMINGHAM, Thursday.—The quarterly meeting
of ironmasters here to-day was very numerously
attended, but only little business was done. Mer-
chants from Manchester and Liverpool made in-
quiries, but in the majority of instances the in-
quiries were such that few were disposed to accept.
The merchants of the district bought only sparingly,
notwithstanding the low rates which some
makers are prepared to take for common bars, on
cash terms. These are in a few instances 255. under
" list." The North Staffordshire terms are here
and there even lower ; and that district being much
nearer the Mersey, most of the Liverpool bar orders
find their way into North Staffordshire. The
amount of work done in the mills and forges is no
more now than before the holidays began ; and but
for considering their men there are instances in
which proprietors would altogether close their esta-
blishments for a month. Sales of stone and of pigs
were reported,but they were for smaller quantities
than was the case last quarter.
BRADFORD, Thursday.—The tone of the wool
market to-day is a little more cheerful, without any
appreciable improvement in business. Inquiries
for good matchings, and especially for good hogs,
have been more frequent, and owing to the
scarcity of these sorts staplers are in a position to
command the market prices. Other sorts of wool
continue quite as much neglected as hitherto. Many
spinners refrain from doing a business under the
impression that some forthcoming public wool sales
may have the result of giving a tone to prices. In
worsted yarns there has been more inquiry, on the
part of. the export houses, in the common and the
better spinning of super 30's, but the prices offered
have generally been too low for spinners to accept.
Low counts of genappe are still in good request.
Twofold yarns are also in better demand, at cur-
rent rates. There has been rather more inquiry in
the piece trade. German houses are receiving more
orders from abroad. Some manufacturers who have
long been running short time, are reported to have
resumed full time. Goods are now selling at such
very low prices that speculation is becoming more
frequent. The demand for heavy goods, especially
lastings, is improved to some extent, and prices
of this class of goods are a shade better. Neither
the home nor the American trades show any im-
provement.

LEICESTER, Thursday.—The wool market to-day
is unrelieved of its dullness by any encouraging
feature. The quiet attitude of the cotton market
rather strengthens buyers of wool from operating,
lest prices should go still lower. Staplers say
there is no demand just now, and therefore
it is useless to press wool upon buyers. No
decided improvement has yet taken place in
the hosiery trade. A few orders have been
placed, but the state of the Liverpool market is not
encouraging enough to cause any general move on
the part of merchants. The inquiries for heavy
goods are quite as numerous as could be expected
for so late a period of the season. There is more
doing in elastic webbings. Narrow webs are more
in demand for the home trade, and a few manufac-
turers are meeting with inquiries for gussettings.
The shipping houses are not improved in their
position.

EXPLOSION IN NEW OXFORD-STREET.—Yesterday
morning between 10 and 11 o'clock, kr- explosion of a
fsrnace and hot-water pipes occurred tit a draper's shop,
No. 535, New Oxford-street, but fortunately without doing
any serious damage. William Henry, ono of the assist-
ants, who was in the basement at the time, received such
a severe shock to the system that it •eras found necessary
to remove him to the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's-inn-road,
where ho was admitted an in-patient under the care of Mr.
Gaut.