The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-01-18 00:00:00

CONSIDERABLE fluctuation has to

the week in the value of
in the first instance, from th
directors of the B

unite securities, arising,

nsion that the

of Eriglan

would make

of discount.
Mel-

another advance ha the min
The arrival of the steamer Australian, from

about a million, tended to allay this apprehension,
and the funds slightly rallied. Thursday passed
over without any alteration having been made by
the Bank directors, but the market was again
depressed, owing, no doubt, to the anxiety of small
holders and speculators to realise, through fear of a
further decline. The expectation which is now
generally entertained that a further advance in the
rate of interest by the Bank directors is still con-
templated, has naturally led to much anxious con-
sideration as to the present position of commercial

affairs, so as to arrive at some satisfactory conclusion
as to the prospects for the future. There can be no
doubt that there is a considerable amount of floating
capital, for which the sources of remunerative
investment are comparatively limited, and this
state of affairs almost necessarily results in
a system of speculation which must prove dis-
astrous in some quarters. The large receipts of
gold from Australia should have the effect of
allaying any apprehension of a deficiency in the
circulating medium, but there are various counter-
acting causes which as yet have appeared to pre-
dominate. The large shipments of gold to Russia,
and also of sovereigns to Australia for the purchase
of gold, have tended to lessen the stock of bullion
in the bank coffers, as shown by the weekly returns ;
while the increased employment and advance in
wages and in prices generally throughout the coun-
try, must operate in the same direction. The in-
creasing spirit of speculation inducing parties to
hold for an advance, must have led to increased re-
quirements for accommodation, all tending to en-
hance the rate of discount, and forcing upon the
attention of the Bank Directors the necessity of
providing against still further demands upon them,
before their decreasing resources shall have rendered
the application of the screw a measure of doubtful
prudence, We have before directed attention to
the mania for speculation which prevails in the Iron
trade, and for which no sufficient reason has yet been
adduced other than that spirit of gain which has
been fostered by reports of the large sums realised
by those who first embarked in it. We observe,
that at the meetings of the iron-masters held last
week, they adhered to the recent advance in prices,
but the circumstances we have before alluded to
could not fail to have a counteracting tendency, and
as we predicted last week, this market could not
stand long in its unnatural and dangerous position.
We have now to record a decline in the value of
Scotch Pigs of several shillings per ton, 655. being
the nearest figure, though at this decline there could
be found but few purchasers. We hear of all being
not quite right with a heavy speculator, but it is
hoped that the matter may be arranged. We must,
however, again warn the public who have been in-
duced to speculate in this article, to beware of the
inevitable consequences, the marked decline being
merely a question cf time. In other metals, such as
lead, copper, and tin, there has been a considerable
advance in value, but much of this may be attributed

to the improved demand and the falling off in supplies,
owing to the flooding of the mines by the late rains.
In COLONIAL PRODUCE the firmness which was
apparent at the commencement of the year has not
been maintained, but the depression has not been
such as to excite any apprehension, while in Coffee
especially the opinion is generally entertained that
prices will go higher. The Cotton trade has been
on the whole of a far more satisfactory character
than for some time, as we have not only to note a
larger sale during the last week than for many
weeks preceding, but the fact that the greater part
of the increase in sales has been to the spinners,
would show that the consumption is increasing.
There is alio less apprehension of the market being
affected by the great additional supplies which were
anticipated a short time since, as it is now more
generally believed that the ultimate yield of last
year's American crop will not be much, if any,
in excess of the moderate computations of it.
Exaggerated reports are always to be received with
caution ; and, when it is known that previous ad-
vances in value on this side had led to increased exer-
tions on the other side to take the earliest advantage
of the market, the excess in receipts might be ac-
counted for without referring it altogether to a more
productive yield. This view has been further con-
firmed by, the reports received to-day by the Ca-
nada, which tend to show that the yield is likely to
be of a moderate character, and the result has been
a considerable improvement in our market, the active both for consumption and for
and prices consequently looking up-
NwVaeTredkh.etEnglandiie f 0
lfloorw
itnhge
smpaencudiabtejoinag,
ending Return
thefr° Bthlll the
January a n.Buaanrky giveso f
results when compared with the.
D previouseerease week,4m:
Public deposits .. .. £5,771,91.1, —,428
Other deposits . 14,310,649; Increase 1,316,696
Rest .. .. 11 .
Goveinment securities £133,187760,671996;;
On t—
Other securities
..
Notes unemployed .. Increase 62,695
15'025'533 ; DD:ocir'e"a'ss::: £90,895
650203
9,869,480 ; Decrease. 1,151,015
The amount of notes in circulation is £23,360,685,
being an increase of £307,175 ; and the stock of
bullion in both departments
h
s isw 9
show-
ing a decrease of i
the preceding return. ,with
t1n,c706m5 ,p6a2r le t a

S
PRODUCE.—We have had another quiet week,
and, when sales have been effected, lower prices
have been submitted to. This remark will apply
to nearly every article of produce. For Colonial
SUGAR there was less enquiry, the sales comprising
750 hhds. of West India and 2,000 brls. East India,
while in Foreign business was very limited. For
COFFEE there has been a fair demand, and full
prices have been realized. In SPICES there have
been few transactions. RICE has been without
change in value. The sales of Rum have been
about 130 puns. Demerara, at previous rates. TEA
maintains its value, for medium qualities, but for
low sorts there is little or no inquiry.—TO-DAY :
The market presented much the same appearance
as during the week, there being no disposition
to purchase beyond the demands for immediate
consumption, and, where sales were effected, the
turn was rather in favour of the buyer. In TEA,
however, the transactions were at fully previous
rates, and COFFEE is not lower, though the business
doing is but small.

POLICE COURT.

-YE E RD AY.

“ ONE OF THE QUEEN'S OFFICERS.”—A wild-looking
youth from the mountains of Connemara, rejoicing in the
patronymic of Patrick Donelly, was charged before Mr.
Mansfield with assaulting police officer 725, while be was

being conveyed to Bridesvell. The prisoner has, it ap-
pears, been in the habit of haunting various offices in the
town, calling himself one of the Queen's officers, to the
annoyance of the public. Refusing to desist from the
practise, he was taken into custody, when he frantically
assailed the officer, who has been under medical treat-
ment ever since. Sentence, one month's imprisonment.
RUNAWAY WORKHOUSE BOYS.—Four little boys, of
about fourteen years of age, were convicted before Mr.
Mansfield, of breaking into a cellar, on Sunday night, the
plea being that they had no place to sleep in, and were
thus impelled to adopt an illegal mode of obtaining shelter
for the night. It was stated that three of them had ab-
sconded from the Workhouse, where they were noted for
their disreputable habits. Sentence, one month's impri-
sonment. _ _

FEMALE PICKPOCKETS.—Ann Summerficld and Eli-
zabeth Walker, two notorious characters, were sentenced
by Mr. Smith, the former to two months, and the latter
to three months' imprisonment, for attempting to pick
pockets in Peel-street.
WATCH STOLEN.—John Griffiths, for assisting to steal
a watch from Margaret Jones, in Falconer-street, was
sentenced to three months' imprisonment.
POCKET PICKING.—John Breather, for haunting the
dress-door of the Theatre-Royal, with the design of pick-
ing pockets, was sentenced to three months' imprison-
ment.—A young man named Dirkin, charged with robbing
Mary Sacileir at the General Post-office, on Sunday even-
ing, of the sum of 10s., was commited for trial at the
sessions.—William Jones, for attempting to pick pockets
in Queen's square, was sentenced to three months' im-
prisonment.—Henry Coffield, for the same offence, was
remanded.—John King, for picking the pocket of J. Muir
of a handkerchief, was committed for a month.
A RAILWAY TRAVELLER IN TROUBLE.—Charles Jones
was brought before Mr. Mansfield, charged with riding
from Preston to Liverpool, on the North Union Railway,
without a ticket, and with intention to defraud the com-
pany. It appeared that the prisoner had been booked by
the Lancashire and Yorkshire to Bolton, intending to pro-
ceed thence to Liverpool ; that a guard directed him into
the train in which he was subsequently found; that he
showed his ticket when asked for it, and offered to pay the
difference upon the mistake being discovered. Instead of
this reasonable course being assented to, the traveller was
taken straight to the office. In answer to the magistrate,
it appeared that the prisoner was a stranger, and that he
went into the train because he was directed to do so by a
railway official. Mr. Mansfield : I think the prisoner
might with more reason complain against the company,
and that he has been very improperly brought before this
court on a perfectly unfounded charge. The prisoner was
then discharged.