The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-22 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Jan. 21.—With a quieter business
in the Liverpool cotton-market to-day, and a slight
decline in the prices, the demand here for yarn and
cloth has undergone a considerable modification.
The market for shipping yarns has assumed a much
quieter tone than•on Friday. Spinners having sold
rather considerable quantities last week at the ad-
vance then obtainable are now pretty well under
contracts which will keep them engaged for some
short time to come, and they are consequently dis-
posed to hold for the same prices, and are not pres-
sing on the market for new business. The business
effected under these circumstances has been limited,
with prices nominally unchanged. There is a similar
lull in the market for home trade yarns, and, after
the excitement of last week, business appears tame.
No doubt buyers, the more active of whom were
manufacturers, have satisfied their wants for a
time, and have appeared more disposed to look on
to-day than to follow up the operations of last week.
Spinners are requiring rather full prices for
most counts of these yarns, owing to the
extent to which they are already under engagement.
The cloth trade is also quieter, and the excitement
which gave such a lively aspect to the market last
week has subsided. Not only has a quieter tone in
the Liverpool cotton-market yesterday and to-day
tended to this effect, but very unfavourable news
from China has had a deterring influence upon
buyers for that market. The recent shipments and
purchases for that market have been considerable,
but buyers to-day have been determined to suspend
their operations altogether. The quotations of
manufacturers and sellers generally advanced a good
deal, of course, under the influence of last week's
activity and excitement, and they are nominally un-
changed ; but they have been able to effect but
little business at any price. The demand for print-
ing cloths, jacconets, and mulls has undergone but
little change. Domestics have had but little share
in last week's improvement, and these and long-
cloths and T's remain without much alteration.
Messrs. John Slagg and Co. report:—" There
has been an active demand during the past
week, and makers, especially of India and China
shirtings and of printing cloths, have contracted
largely at a considerable advance on our last quo-
tations. The weaker tone of the Liverpool market,
combined with other causes, has served to check
the business, and to-day we close with a steady
market, but with a marked falling off in the ope-
rations."

CARDIFF, 20th.—There are more vessels in port
than at the date of last report, but this arises
partly from the unfavourable and stormy weather
which has prevailed, and not from any actual in-
crease in trade. The exports of coal during the
past week have been considerably below the ave-
rage, the clearances, as compared with previous
weeks, being small ; but with a return of tolerably
fair weather, and with ample tonnage in the port,
the shipments will soon j.increase. From the Mail-
packet station there is the usual demand, which
is
.expected shortly to extend, as the stocks are
known to be exceedingly low at several places.
France has taken by far the greatest quantity for
the past six or seven days, and there is no doubt of
her continuing a good customer. From some of
the Mediterranean markets inquiries have increased,
and freights are rather firmer than they were, and
there is a prospect of au advance taking place.
There is no improvement to note in the prices ob-
tained for coal. The house-coal trade is dull, and
freights are low.
ROCHDALE, 20th.—The flannel market to-day,
though visited by a few more buyers than last week,
was very quiet. Operations were confined to small
purchases, and in some instances sales were only
effected by a lowering of prices. The best flannels,
however, command late rates, and we can scarcely
say that there is an absolute lowering in any class
of goods. Yorkshire goods, though they continue
in slack demand, are steady in price. 11 ools, too,
are nominally the same as last week, but manufac-
turers purchase for immediate rather than prospec-
tive wants.
LEEDS, 21st.—There has been a small attendance
of both manufacturers and buyers in the woollen
cloth halls this morning, and the business done was
not to the same extent even as on this day se'nnight.
The weather was both foggy and wet, which had a
prejudicial effect on the market, and was probably
, the chief cause of the comparatively small