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

STATE OF TRADE, MANUFACTURr, &c

The systematic efforts which are made by several of our
contemporaries to give a false colouring to the state and
Prospects of the trade of this district, by the promulgation
of exaggerated accounts of existing distress, (which are
eagerly caught up and echoed throughout the country by the
anti-corn-law organs,) or by the suppression of every evi-
dence of approaching improvement, has induced us to make
arrangements by which we shall be enabled to lay before our
readers, in each publication, Under the above head. a car/ ect
• lid impartial notice of the condition of our various branches
of industry and commerce. In the performance of this duty,
We shall endeavour, in all cases and at all times, to state only
facts within our own knowledge, or communicated from
unexceptionable sources ; and whilst we shall carefully ab-
stain from exaggeration on the one hand, we shall with equal
care avoid the suppression of what may perhaps be supposed
to be to us unpalatable-truths.

The week immediately preceding Christmas is rarely one
Which 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
noticing a considerably improved feeling in several of our
Most 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
about to be succeeded by an active and remunerating demand
for our principal commodities.

This improvement was especially displayed yesterday and
011 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
sustained, although the market was abundantly supplied.
6000 bales were sold, making the total sales of the week
33,880 bags. The sales yesterday amounted to 7090 bags, at
an advance of id. 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,
in 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
mind, 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
for the East Indies, and as it is known that most foreign
markets are comparatively bare of British manufactures, it
is 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
must 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.