The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-20 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

BARNSLEY, Jan. 17.—Although the men at the
various ironworks have accepted the ten per cent.
reduction, still several of the large establishments
remain closed. At Milton and Elsecar, with the
exception of the blast furnaces, the rail and other
mills, as well as every other branch, are standing.
The demand for coal continues very quiet for
the season, there not being so much doing in
household qualities for London and the southern
depots.
BIRMINGHAM, 18th.—The reports in reference to
the state of trade in this town are still unsatisfac-
tory. Although some of the manufacturers are
tolerably well engaged, the bulk of them are very
moderately employed, and in many instances the
men are not making more than half or two-thirds
time. The complete prostration prevailing in the
trade of the United States forbids the hope that
there will be much done with that quarter this
spring.

- -
BRADFORD, 18th.—The week opened with the
better feeling so apparent on the previous Thurs-
day, but this disappeared as the week advanced,
and at the second and principal market on Thurs-
day last there was great languor in the wool trade.
The demand for the home trade is very small.
Prices continue weak and irregular. The slight
improvement last week apparent in piece goods
has hardly been maintained during this. Prices
are, on the whole, rather steadier than they have
been.

DUNDEE, 17th.—Extreme dulness is still the pre-
vailing tone of trade here, any transactions of greater
than trivial extent having only been induced by the
acceptance of still lower prices than yet quoted.
Flax, especially fine brands, owing to the great
barrenness of the local market, and the stoppage of
arrivals from the chief sources of supply, is firmly
held at about former prices, but spinners generally
prefer the alternative of making further stoppages
of machinery to that of going on spinning in excess
of present demand, while the price of raw material
is at such a dangerously high level. Tows of good
quality and strength are also not plentiful on the
spot, and maintain their value; commoner varieties
are not readily saleable, and would be sold cheaper.
Of jute the finer qualities command fully last week's
rates, but medium and common are about 10s. per
ton cheaper ; at these prices a moderate business
continues to be done.

18th.--A slight improvement is notice-
able in the worsted trade. Two or three firms who
have been working short time have resumed full
employment ; and there is a better demand for
fine damasks, table covers, and some other classes
of goods. Yarn spinners are scarcely
any busier
than they have been for a long time, but their
stocks are low. The yarns most in demand are
those known as genapes, which are steady, but low
in price. In wools there is a quiet business doing ;
but staplers complain of the lowness of prices, while
farmers who still hold stocks are stiff in their de-
mands. The woollen and the cotton trades of the
district are far from being active, but they are not
so much depressed as they were a short time ago.
The carpet trade remains moderately active, and
most of the hands are well employed.
HUDDERSFIELD, 18th.—The reports from both
woollen cloth manufacturers and merchants here
this week are quite as good as those of the past
month—indeed, upon the whole, they are rather
better. There is more inquiry for spring goods, and
of such some moderate orders are in the course of
execution, but the purchases have not been large
during the week. Some fair parcels have been pur-
chased by the representatives of Canadian houses,
and there is reason to believe that a good trade will
be done in the better class of fabrics for our North
American colonies generally. We cannot report
the yarn trade to be more active than of late, but
spinners are quite as well employed as they have
been for the past three months. The local wool
trade keeps quiet, but prices are steady.
LEEDS, 18th.—The woollen cloth :trade of this
town remains quiet. The business of the week in
the public markets, as well as in the cloth-halls, has
rather exceeded that of last week, but not to so
great an extent as to denote an increased activity
in the trade as a whole. The quietness appertains
to both the home and the export trades. If there
be any exception as to the latter, it is as respects
the demand for spring goods from Canada, of which
a tolerably large amount has been purchased and
ordered this week. To-day's markets in the cloth-
halls have been moderately well attended, but there
was no great disposition shown to purchase goods.
Buyers seem disposed to wait till nearer spring
before they purchase anything in bulk for the season.
Tweeds and light fancy fabrics command the most
attention, and the manufacturers of such goods are
well employed. The demand for ordinary plain
qualities of blacks
considering the
of importance is
cmloatyhsbekeseapids
tfloatb,ebieut]fathire
dbeemstand,
woollen yarns, or
cloths.
nip eortiiocedaobfl e tine thee apr.ric prices o
of c hwaonogl e,

MANCHESTER, 18th.—A good deal of business has
commencing on Thurs.
been done in both cloth and yarn this week, but
more especially during the last three days. No
thaty they have doubt the rise in cotton,
day, has brought the holders of orders for yarns and
and
luodt h
there r a t e
is upon the market,
precipitately
con-
sented to give higher prices than prudence would
dictate. Sellers of shirtings yesterday and this
mreoasreoupreteci
morning have been able to realise an advance of
d per piece, and in some cases they are demanding
fully double that amount of advance. The advance
is not great when compared with what we have
been accustomed to during the exceptional years of
trade arising out of the cotton famine, when cotton
chiefly ranged at prices of half-a-crown per lb.
down to (iu the earlier months of this year) 16d. ;
but now that middling Orleans has touched lid.
per lb., it is doubtful if such violent and sudden
fluctuations can be sustained, or, at least, if they
will be found consistent with a sound and healthy
business. The improvement is chiefly due to the
improvement of one market (that of China), and the
shipments have already been extensive, while large
contracts aro in hand for future export, In the

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, 18th.—The tone of trade
is continuing to gradually improve in this district.
Orders and inquiries are comingito hand in a toler-
ably satisfactory manner, and work continues to
find its way into the iron shipbuilding yards.
The ehernical trade remains dull, with the excep-
tion of bleaching powder, which, on account of a
strike among the coopers at several of the works, is
more difficult to obtain for immediate shipment.
Prices at our market to-day ara : Best alkali,
; second, 2d. ; caustic soda, strong, 4d. ; ditto,
weak, 3d. per cent. per cwt. ; crystals of soda,
£4 ss. ; bicarbonate of soda, £l2. ; and bleaching
powder, £lO per ton. In consequence of the low
rates paid for coke to Spain, the Spanish merchants
have had to raise the freight they pay for Esparto
grass to the Tyne to 255. per ton.
NEWPORT (MONDIOUTIISHIBE), 18th.—The iron-
masters of this county are not better placed for
orders than they were at the date of last report, and,
while future expectations indicate confidence, the
actual business transacted is extremely limited. The
inquiry for pig iron keeps without change, and prices
are stationary. For tin plates no movement has
been evinced in the demand, and the expected Ame-
rican orders have not yet made their appearance.

NOTTINGHAM, 18th.--The higher prices reported
from Manchester for cotton and yarns have had no
influence upon our market, and it is impossible to
realise an advance on plain goods, the demand being
very limited. A better feeling is, however, expected
shortly. There have been a few buyers in the mar-
ket for fancy goods, silk edgings, and laces. The
home trade is very flat, but cotton yarns are a little
dearer. There is very little change to note this
week in the demand for hosiery.

SHEFFIELD, 18th.—Generally trade here is de-
cidedly dull, and at present the prospects of the
spring trade are far from cheering, but a few weeks
hence manufacturers will be better able to gauge
the future. The languor which has pervaded the
heavy trades for some time is unrelieved. Even the
Bessemer furnaces are not fully employed, and still
less is doing in the other departments of the steel
trade. A few large houses in the file trade are busy,
but the activity is by no means general. The cut-
'ors, with few exceptions, are very indifferently em-
ployed ; in all branches both short hours and short
time have been adopted. There is no improvement
to notice in the saw edge tool or general tool trades,
all of which are languid. The-. Britannia metal,
silver plating, and similar branches, are still far
from busy.

WOLVERHAMPTON, 18th. —Since the commence-
ment of the quarter some orders have been given
out both for home and American account, and the
leading makers have rather more to do. The trade
cannot, however, be said to be improved in any
permanent sense. The expiration of the notice for
the termination of existing contracts in the iron-
works and mines of North Staffordshire may be
followed by some short period of resistance, which
would send a few orders here ; but this must be
very temporary, as the men are too poor, and with
no hope of assistance from other trades, to make
any protracted resistance. The best hope for the
trade is the extensive railways in Russia, Hungary,
and Prussia, which are designed, but there is no
present ground to anticipate a revival of the demand
for iron.