The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-17 00:00:00

ISSUE DEPAULTMEINT.

Notes issued ... £29,l4B,BooGovernmt. Debt £11,015,100
Other Securities 2,984,900
Gold coin & bu11'n.15,148,800
Silver bullion ...

£29,148,800
BANKING DEPARTMEWT.

£29,148,800

638401 Prop. Capital ... £14,553,000'G0v. Securities £14,833,299
Rest .. . . 3,247,894 Other Securities 16,736,409
Public Deposit; 8,291,993 Notes ... 7,800,600
Other Deposits 12,744, Gold & Silver Coin 682,272
7-day & other bills 1,215,059
£40,052,5 £40,052,580

In the cotton manufacturing districts prices are
well maintained, particularly for yarns and goods
adapted for India, as the recent advices by the
overland mail, both from Bombay and Calcutta,
are favourable. In China, also, trade is improving ;
and letters from Singapore promise advanced quota-
tions, The reaction from the recent stoppage of
traffic has also tended to promote activity, and
trade may be considered, on the whole, in a satis-
factory state, though the demand is chiefly for
lower qualities. In the woollen districts there is
less animation, though the raw material still main-
tains its value ; but business, after the close of the
year, appears to have hardly commenced. The
same remark will apply to the state of trade at
Leicester and Nottingham.
With reference to the prospects of commercial
business generally. much will, of course, depend
upon the long protracted settlement of affairs be-
tween Russia and Turkey. Should this result in
active hostilities, involving other powers than the
principals in the quarrel, it must of necessity prove
disastrous, not only to mercantile operations, but
also by absorbing a large amount of English capi-
tal. On the other hand, the recent advices from
our Australian colonies of the continued active de-
mand for British produce, and the fresh discoveries
of gold, give fair promise of a still increasing trade
in that direction, while the United States, the
Brazils, and other markets for our exports, afford
also a reasonable prospect of an active demand.
Should, therefore, no obstacle be interposed by
monetary difficulties, owing to the threatened in-
fliction of war, there appears no reason to doubt
that, with the increased facilities for communica-
tion by the establishment of new lines of steam-
ships, the increase in our export trade which
marked the year 1853 will be well maintained in
the year we have just commenced.
In our last we stated that the tendency of
SHARES in Railways during the week had been
steadily downwards. To-day we must report a
movement in the contrary direction—each day
1 there has been an increased firmness in the market,
and prices have gradually recovered the two per
cent. fall of the previous week. This has been
caused by a scarcity of stock as the settlement
approached, and the rise has been established at
the settlement now pending, from the fact of a
back having to be paid on most stocks, which is a
sum of money paid by bears (or speculators who
have sold what they do not possess) for the loan of
stock to supply their fictitious sales. There is a
growing impression, too, that with England and
France united, and prepared for war, yet at the
same time desirous for peace, and willing to allow
Russia as honourable a way as its own sagacity
can discover to escape from the dilemma in which
it has placed itself, that war may be averted ; and,
as this hope gains ground, buyers come forward.
Money is very abundant at its price, which is of
course high. The dividends promised are better
in some cases than were looked for ; it appears
that the loans renewed during the time money was
cheap have benefitted interest account to an extent
to cover in some measure the extra expenses from
high prices. The Brighton has declared a dividend
of £3 45., making £5 for the year ; the London
and North-Western is to pay £5, the Sonth-
Western £4. Our local stocks are steady at
former prices. We annex this day's quotations :
Caledonians, 27 4 7 4 7 6-1 ; Eastern Counties, 138 ;
Lancashire and Yorkshire, 644 4 4 4 ; Lancaster
and Carlisle Thirds, 13p; Ditto New Thirds, 124 p ;
London Stock, 1024 4 ; Ditto Eighths, id; Midland
Stock, 621 41- 1- 2 4 4 • North British, 84 3-16 ;
Dover Stock, 184 5-1645-16 i 3-16 1-16 ; York,
Newcastle, and Berwick, 15i ; York and North
Midland, 234 ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln
£lO pref., 9-I • North Union A, 250.
COTTON.—The business during the week has
been but moderate, owing to the difficulty of
transit.for heavy goods, both by canal and railway.
The market, however, has been very steady, prices
having been well maintained. The new cotton is
now coming in, and being offered freely on arrival,
but stocks are moderate, and purchases are mostly
for the wants of the trade. To-day the advices per
America were received, but current rates here were
not affected. The sales amounted to about 6,000
bales. The following is a comparison of present
prices with those of the corresponding period last
year :

New Orleans, middling

1853.
6 9-16 d.

1854.
M.
..
, .

Uplands, middling
fair

. 51d. ..... 6d.
. GI&

now required ; higher prices have been paid for
Bombay. Jute continues in active request.
IRox.—During last week Scotch Pig Iron re-
ceded to 735. per ton, at which point heavy pur-
chases were made, and it closes this evening—
buyers at 765. 6d., with not much disposition on
the part of holders to sell in quantity at that rate.
WooL.—We have experienced a better feeling
in the market during the last few days ; but we can-
not yet report any very active business ; price very
firm without alteration ; the public sales which
commence this day have brought down a good
many buyers, and a brisk sale is looked for. Irish
hogs and wethers have met with a ready sale at
16d. and 151 d. per lb., delivered in Dublin. The
stocks of this kind is now small. English fleeces,
Lincoln, Leicester, and Kent are in good request,
at from 151-d. to 161-d. per lb. The sales of East
India wool, held in London on Thursday and Fri-
day last were numerously attended, and the whole
was sold after a spirited competition at ld. to lid.
per lb. higher prices than the closing sales of last
year.