The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-28 00:00:00

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STATE OF TRADE, MANUFACTURE, &c

The systematic efforts which are made by several of our
Ilremporaries to give a false colouring to the state and
Prospects of the trade of this district, by the promulgation
°f exaggerated accounts of existing distress, (which ate
eagerly caught up and echoed throughout the country by the
latit i-corn-law organs,) or by the suppression of every evi-
denee of approaching improvement, has induced us to make
iltrangements by which we shall be enabled to lay before our
readers, in each publication, under the above head. a correct
tud'impartial notice of the condition of our various branches
of industry and commerce. In the performance of this duty,
Ne shall endeavour, in all cases and at all times, to state only
;facts Within our own knowledge, or communicated from
"exceptionable sources ; and whilst we shall carefully ab-
,ltein from exaggeration on the one hand, we shall with equal
ears avoid the suppression of what may perhaps be supposed
° be to us unpalatable truths.

The week immediately preceding Christmas is rarely one
affords any certain criterion with respect to the state
of trade in this district, being occupied chiefly by the mer-
cantile classes in balancing their accounts for the past year.
We have, however, notwithstanding this, the gratification of
'4Qtieing a considerably improved feeling in several of our
kost important branches of trade ; and on all hands an evi-
dent leaning to the opinion that the depression under which
our commerce has for many months been languishing is
'bout to be succeeded by an active and remunerating demand
,for our principal Commodities.
This improvement was especially displayed yesterday and
°4 Friday, in the transactions of our market for cotton—the
staple article of the manufactures of this district. On Friday
this amended feeling, which had been displayed throughout
the week, continued to animate buyers, and prices were fully
Itutained, although the market was abundantly supplied.
G°oo bales were sold, making the total sales of the week
33,880 bags. The sales yesterday amounted to 7000 bags, at
an advance of -Ad. per lb.; which, it is estimated, will, with
the advance last week, make up in the whole an improvement
in most qualities of Id. per lb.
The accounts from the manufacturing districts, although

they notice no improvement in prices, are yet encouraging,
la the views which they hold out of an improved trade in the
approaching spring. The stocks in the hands of manufactu-
rers are unusually light, owing in part to their decreased pro-
duction during the past few months. It must be borne in
/Iliad, however, that considerable quantities are held by spe-
culators, or have been purchased, in anticipation, from needy
manufacturers. The last two New York packets have gone
Out with full cargoes of merchandise for that market. There
have been also heavy purchases made during the past week
f't the East Indies, and as it is known that most foreign
markets are comparatively bare of British manufactures, it
II anticipated that, upon the first re-appearance of anything
approaching to permanent confidence amongst our own mer-
chants and manufacturers, the buyers from these markets
blast come in and operate freely. The same may be said of
buyers for home consumption, who hold also very light stocks
of all descriptions of goods.