The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-06-20 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER.—Since Tuesday close holiday has been kept,
as is generally the case in Whit-week, and little or no business
has been transacted. The holiday people seem to have given
themselves up to the enjoyments of the week, almost in a
greater degree than usual.
ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET.—We have this week had
a moderate attendance in the market. Dyed flannels, and
middle sorts of goods have been most inquired after, and rather
more business done than on this day week. Prices are ex-
tremely low. The wool market was rather flat, and manufac-
turers would only purchase as it were from hand to mouth,
under the idea that prices would be lower. Foreign wool was
lower than on this day week, but brokes and skins much the
same as our last report.
LEEDS.—We have nothing new to report as to the state of the
woollen trade in this town and neighbourhood. There is never
much business done at Whitsuntide, and the past week affords
no exception to the rule, for dulness has been the characteristic
of both the public markets and the warehouses, Buyers hold
off purchasing, except for present need, under the impression
that in the present dull state of business wool will be lower at
the approaching sales. Prices, in this state of things, are no-
minal, but stocks in the clothiers' hands are exceedingly low,
considering the season.
BRADFORD.—WOOI: This has been a week of unusual dull-
ness. There was a small quantity submitted to auction on
Monday, but the biddings were of that spiritless character
which has for so long been manifested in the warehouses. The
weekly markets at York and Pontefract tend to rather diminish
the prices here; and, altogether, the trade is as bad as it well
can be. Yarns: This trade has surely touched to its lowest
point, for all agree that prices are now lower than they were
ever known to be, whilst this cannot be said of wool. This
very perplexing state of things is telling very fearfully on all
engaged in it, and the spinners are acting on the defensive, by
producing as little as they possibly can. Pieces : There is a
steady but not a large business doing in fancy goods, chiefly to
order; and the stocks held by the manufacturers are very short
of what they have been in previous years. The remembrance
of former losses has deterred the trade from making to stock,
and so soon as orders cease, the looms are stopped. This
course has told hard on the operatives, but it is the only safe-
guard against loss.
HALIFAX.—We have no change to report this week in any
department of trade. Everything continues to manifest the
same depression, and there does not appear to be any prospect
of a speedy improvement.
HUDDERSFIELD,—We are sorry to report that there is no
improvement in trade here. All parties regret the present dis-
turbed aspect of the country, feeling assured that business
would improve, and the operatives be benefited, could the
excitement be calmed that now so generally prevails.
GLASOOW.—Commercial matters here continue to present no
symptoms of improvement. Throughout the week, transactions
have been as limited in extent, and prices as low and unsteady
as at any time heretofore. The wants of the country trade
houses are materially lessening as the season advances, and the
demand for fancy fabrics for the south is now nearly over. For
our colonial \Vest Indies, the business doing is comparatively
unimportant, and seems likely to pass over this season without
any beneficial effect on the market. In the foreign colonial
islands trade is greatly cramped by the condition of the
continental markets, necessitating the bulk of the produce of
these islands and the Spanish Main being sent to our already
overburned ports. A proposition, made this week, by a num-
ber of the power-loom factors, to reduce still further the rate
of wages paid their weavers, has been met by such opposition
from the operatives as may possibly lead to a strike. There are
good grounds, however, for hoping that the differences will be
arranged.