The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-10 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Feb. 7.—The strong and active
market at Liverpool, which impels the manufacturer
to advance his quotations for cloth, is seriously
checking operations, but the yara market is toler-
ably active, and spinners are more successful than
manufacturers in obtaining higher prices. For
shipping yarns a good deal of business has been done
at extreme rates. The demand is almost general
for export markets. There is also a fair home
demand, though from the fact that buyers and
sellers have done a good deal of business dur-
ing some weeks past, there has not been a large
trade to-day. The price of these yarns has again
advanced, and buyers report that in some cases
they have found the market ed. to id. per lb.
dearer than last week. The leading sellers of cloth
say they cannot find that buyers are willing to re-
spond to this upward movement. Manufacturers
have to pay the increased cost of yarn, and put up
their own rates to cover it, but they have not been
able to get India and China merchants willing to
give prices which will enable them to book new
contracts under the altered conditions of the yarn
and cotton market. To-day sellers have generally
advanced the rates for shirtings and other fabrics
suited to India, and the market closes steady, manu-
facturers being well under engagement, but with a
very restricted business. Domestics, T-cloths, and
other goods for the home trade, which have not ad-
vanced in price to the extent of shirtings, but are
still somewhat dearer, have been rather in better
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BARNSLEY, 7th.--There is not much doing at the
works in the South Yorkshire district, and no re-
action has taken place in the trade, though, perhaps,
the reduction of wages has had the effect of bringing
orders in rather more freely, and also enables masters
to enter into contracts at lower rates ; but orders
on the whole are limited, and merchants are tardy
in speculating beyond their immediate requirements.
At the Milton and Elsecar works the men still
remain on strike, and there is great suffering and
distress in the villages, as they are almost dependent
upon the ironworks. The men have been out since
the general strike against the reduction, as the
masters wish to impose another reduction to the
one made at the other works, and this the men
refuse to accept. At the armour-plate works the
men are well employed, but for other plates ship-
builders are only giving out orders to meet present
wants, Nvhile there are few orders for boiler-plates
owing to the slackness in the boiler trade. In other
departments transactions are limited. At the steel
works there aro some fair orders for railway mate-
rial, but, on the whole, the trade is extremely dull,
and even at the Bessemer Works slackness prevails.
The coal trade is quiet in all its branches, and many
of the pits are working short time, and at some
collieries a good deal of coal has been slacked. The
trade with the manufacturing districts of Yorkshire
and Lancashire is inactive, owing to the state of
trade there. With the London depot there is also
not so much doing in house coal as usual. The
coke trade remains pretty brisk.
LEICESTER, 7th.--Trade remains very much in
the same state as reported last week. A great
failure of a London house having just occurred has
cast a shade over business here, and caused consi-
derable uneasiness, inasmuch as the establishment is
closely allied with Leicester ; many of our manu-
facturers will be sensibly affected, as well as
the entire of the Midland markets. As to the
immediate condition of things, manufacturers derive
much consolation from the belief that materials
are at a low level, and that they are safe against
any further depreciation in the value of stock.
There is an increased inquiry to report for fine
wools for the Yorkshire trade, at rather firmer
rates. A few lots have come in from the growers,
who do not seem disposed to part with wools very
freely, and still ask more than the staplers can
realise. Worsted yarns unchanged in value and in
but trifling request. Cottons are higher, and a
brisk sale. The fancy trade is improving, and some
further orders are said to have been placed by Ca-
nadian travellers, who buy pretty freely. The
worsted spinning trade continues in its usual dor,-
mant state at this period of the year, but both the
Leicester and Hinckley cotton hosiery branches are
stated to be flourishing, particularly at the latter
place, where full employment is being given. There
has agttiin been a fair amount of orders for elastic
webs, fully up to expectation, taking into consi-
deration the general depression in every trade
throughout the country. In the shoe department
some of the houses are tolerably busy with export
orders ; still in the trade
generally there is not
much animation, the home trade showing rather
less doing than is usual at this season. Not-
withstanding, materials of all kinds have an upward
tendency.

HALIFAX WOOL AND WORSTED MARKET,
FED. B.—A decided improvement is observable in business
hero. Better descriptions of wool are fully per lb. dearer,
and most kinds are more firmly held. A moderate quantity
is changing hands. Some good contracts have lately been
placed for yarns ; spinneas are therefore much bettor em-
ployed, and are attempting to got better prices. Manu-
facturers of pieces continue to produce light goods for the
home trade. Heavy manufactures are in demand for the
Eastern markets. There is also a good demand for union
lastings for the States.
TILE DurEitOlt MAXIIIILIAN.—Father Fischer,
private secretary of the late Emperor Maximilian, was a
passenger in the Australasian, and landed at Queenstown
Oil Ofturclay moruiDg•