The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-16 00:00:00

May.
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

NEW YORK, 3RD MAY.
THE STOCK MARKET had declined still more since
the sailing of the Arctic, and large sales of Erie Railroad
shares were made at 70/ to 708 at the first board, and
closed at 70i at the second. Money remained somewhat
stringent ; and no paper was done, otherwise than at the
banks, for less than 9 per cent. Good business paper was
bought daily at 10 to 12 per cent. The canal toll
amounted, for the Ist and 2nd instant, to 20,000 dols., a
greater amount than ever previously known for the same
time. Exchange on London was 109 to 1091; Paris,
5.10 to 5.121 ; and Amsterdam, 418 to 42.
COTTON.—The cotton market was depressed, notwith-
standing the more favourable accounts from this side, and
a great desire to sell was manifested, at a decline of lc.
The market was freely supplied with grades ranging
below "middling," but better qualities were scarce. The
injury done to the young plant by frost at Georgia, Ala-
bama, and Florida was fully confirmed. We quote :

NEW YORK CLASSIFICATIONS. N. Orleans
Uplands. Florida. Mobile. and Texas.
Ordinary.... 74 to 8 .... 711 to 84 .. 72 to 82
Middling.... si to 92. 84 to 94 .. 84 to 9j
Middling' fair. ; 104 104 .... 102 102
Exports to Total Exports Stock on
Receipts. Gt. Britain. to For: P< rts. Hand, &c.
1854 .... 2,459,050 1,038,299 1,483,738 654,715
1833....2,977,173 1,310,070 1,911,442 567,586
increase 87,129
Decrease 518,123 271,171 424,704
(From W. P. Wright's Circular, of May 3.)
Improvement in prices continued to characterise the
business on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of last
week, and some slight advance was obtained. On Friday
and Saturday the buoyancy of the market was lost, and
prices once more assumed a downward tendency. On
Monday, after receipt of the Pacific's advices, only a mode-
rate business was done, the market being heavy. Yester-
day there was more disposition on the part of holders to
make sales at an improvement of ic. to -tc. above the sales
then made. Shippers to Liverpool act with great caution,
and only purchase such parcels as are offered reasonably.
There is little or no demand for Havre or the Continent,
while speculators are not inclined to operate to any extent.
The chief dependence of the market is on the demand for
home consumption, and this only applies to middling
qualities and above. The grades below middling are
neglected and very difficult to move at relatively lower
prices. The sales during the past week have been 8,974
bales, of which 8,107 were for export ; 2,510 for home
consumption ; 2,164 on speculation ; and 1,193 in tran-
s-du ; and the export during the same time, 4,823 bales,
namely, to Liverpool, 2,967 ; Havre, 1,078; Antwerp, 99 ;
Malaga, 47; Trieste, 132. The opinions of the crop do
not vary, the majority leaning towards 2,800,000 bales as
the probable extent; some adhere to 2,900,000, and here
and there one who still believes in the possibility of
3,000,000 bales being received at the ports. The interest
in the extent of the present crop is being merged, how-
ever, into speculations as to the probabilities of the one
just planted. The season at the south so far has been
unpropitious ; a high range of temperature during the
first three weeks of March having been followed by a very
low one, with frost in some sections on the 18th and 19th
of April, has given rise to many reports of damage to the
young cotton causing a necessity for replanting, in exposed
situations, and retarding the growth of the crop through-
out the entire cotton region. Seasonable weather will soon
repair any damage so far sustained.
BREADSTUFFS.—The market for State and Western
flour had assumed decidedly a firmer tone, owing to the
low figure at which our supplies have become reduced, and
the probability of continued light receipts for several weeks
hence. There is some inquiry for ordinary descriptions
for export at lower rates, but the transactions have been
limited. There was an increased demand for wheat for
home use, and the market was firmer. The market for
Indian corn was firm.

PROVISIONEL—Prime pork was moderately active at 12i
cents, but " Mess" was heavy. Beef was in good request,
but the supply of good qualities was light, and the market
buoyant, at $24 for good Western. Lard was more plen-
tiful, and the market easier. A moderate demand existed
for cheese, at steady rates.
IRON.—Scotch pig was held firmly, and somewhat
improved prices had been obtained, with sales of 700 to
800 tons at $39 to $4O. 60 tons of good English wrought
scrap, ex ship, brought $42,50, six months.
FREIGHTS. —Freights were dull. To Liverpool Cotton,
square bales, per lb., 5-16 d.; flour, per brl., 2s. 6d. ; Rosin,
2s. 6d.; heavy goods, per ton, 325. 6d. to 355. ; grain ship's
bags, per bushel, ad.