The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-11-07 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

GENERAL TRADE REPORT.

MONDAY EVENING.

The sudden prosperity, particularly in railway circles,
of which we gave an account last week, has not received
any additional impulse since our last. We said then, in
reporting the general opinion on 'Change, that no one
anticipated we should fly away at a tangent from the
elevation so quickly attained, but that a progressive im-
provement was expected. This opinion still prevails; and
the trifling reaction which has since taken place in shares
may be regarded only as a settling down into something
like a reasonable state of public feeling, after the first
blush of excitement subsided. Any transition state, to
be permanent, must be slow, and we think much better of
our prospects for the future, that the semblance of a panic
has not characterised the beginnings of success. The
Bank of England has lent a helping band in reducing the
rate of discount, which will doubtless operate most bene-
ficially on trade generally; although neither this, nor the
improvement in railway stock and Consols seem to have
produced much effect on the prices of colonial pro-
duce either here or in London, although much more
activity is observable. The increased demand for sugar
continues here ; the sales are considerable, and the
consumption satisfactory. On the continent the state
of uncertainty, so long existing, continues. The
leading Parisian firms manifest considerable distrust,
and are restricting their transactions in every possible
manner until the approaching Presidential election shall
have been struggled through. Money is plentifal in
Hamburgh, and the difficulty in finding employment for
it increases daily, the present rate of discount being 1 to
11 per cent. The English funds partake of the 'general
uneasiness, and although Consols opened on Saturday at
864- to I, after touching 851 they left off at 85t to
Though prices are not quite so high as the highest
point they reached a few days back, yet the SHARE
market is very firm, and higher prices are Looked for.
London and North-Western closed this evening 1161
1181, Midland 'ft 11. Mr. Hudson has, by economical
changes in this latter line, reduced the working expenses
10 per cent. A call of £2 per share on the Great Northern
Railway, advertised on Friday, and amounting to £448,000,
payable on the 30th instant, increases the 'calls for Nov.
to £1,623,362.
'The movements in the COHN market since Friday have
been of little import, and productive of no change from
the prices crT that day. The principal additional arrivals
to report since then are '9271 qrs. Oats and 4742 loads
Oatmeal 'from Ireland, and 1414 qrs. Indian Corn and
4200 btls. Flour from the States ; besides which, there
has been imported 390'qrs. Wheat, 1.16 qrs. Barley, 10
qrs. Malt, 330 qrs. Beans, 24 loads Oatmeal, and '2BO
sacks Flour, from all parts. In the English naaikets
generally the prices of last week are pretty well support-
ed, and in some instances a trifling advance has been
obtained for the bestdry samples of new Wheat, also for
Malting Barley ; Oats and Oatmeal have receded n little
at Manchester and Preston. The Irish markets also are
tolerably firm, and at Waterford native Wheat has ad-
vanced ls. to is. fid. per barrel for best samples ; but
Indian Corn still moves slowly, and in some cases at a
redaction. This, combined with the omission:in nearly
all our Irish letters of any mention of the Potato crop,
leads us to suspect that a great deal of the croaking about
that valuable edible has been premature. The only ex-
ception to the general silence is favourable, and runs as
follows :-
Youghal, Nov. 4th.-In this district the greater part of the
Potato crop has been got out of the ground, and more than half
are quite free from taint, and will keep well through the year;
,whilst the damaged ones are no worse now than they were two
months ago. Their price has declined in our markets this
week from Is. to Bd. per 231 b.
'We were told yesterday on 'Change, by two gentlemen
who have severally visited the northern (about Kendal .
and neighbourhood) and eastern districts of England,
that the Potatoes are exceedingly bad there. and it was
thought that in a month there would not be a sound
Potato in the former locality. A letter from Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, however, states that about one-half of the
Potato crop has been secured, in much better condition
than was expected some time ago.
The advance in the price of CorroN reported last week
in this column, was in some danger about the middle of
the week; but the market has since displayed further
elasticity, prices being on a slightly ascending scale. The
market on Saturday was only quiet in appearance, with a
limited attendance of country buyers down ; the sales
4,500 to 5,000 bales, including 500 to 800 on speculation,
at very steady prices. This DAY the market has been
very firm, with a good demand from the trade, and com-
mon Americans realised rather more money. The sales
amount to 5,000 bales, comprising 4,670 American, '3O
Bahia, &c., 50 Maranham, and 250 Surat. This favour-
able turn to-day places the advance slightly higher on
American descriptions than the full quotation noticed last
Monday. The last accounts from America afford nothing
new with respect to the crop, except that it is scarcely
expected to reach the large amount previously anticipated.
Prices were gradually falling at New -Orleans, middling
being 'quoted 51 to k cents. With respect to East India
Cotton, Messrs. T. and H. Littledale, in their monthly
circular, with a copy of which we have been favoured,
statethat
"The low rates at which the ordinary qualities of American
have been selling, 2d. to 3d., has materially interfered with
the consumption of Surat Cotton. The sales in the month have
been 9,380, of which 2,060 and 500 bales Bengal have been taken
for export ; prices have been better supported than could have
been expected, the decline being little more than id. per lb.
The import bas been large, amounting to 27,360 bales, leaving
only two or three cargoes yet to arrive before the Spring, when
the extent of supply will be uncertain, owing to the failure of
the native crop in China, and the discouragement to importers,
arising from the extreme low prices which have for some time
past ruled here."
There has been rather more inquiry for Foreign WOOL
this week, but no transactions of moment have taken
place. Prices are without alteration. Scotch is not
much inquired for. Imports for the week :-Foreign,
from Bombay 357, Lisbon 99, Buenos Ayres 93, previ-
ously 63,447; Scotch, 633, previously 15,880.
We are gratified to be able to announce an improve-
ment in the Scotch PIG IRON trade this week. For some
months we have had little to record but a continual re-
currence of quiet markets; there has been more business,
however, transacted during the last few days, and our
quotations are, for Mixed Numbers, good brands, 425. 6d.
to 435. f.o.b. at Glasgow ; Gartsherrie No. 1, 455. do.
AMERICAN Beef is still scarce; a small parcel of fine
Prime Mess realized 100 s., which is 7s. 6d. above the
range of the general quotations. Bacon is more inquired
after ; unattended, however, by any improvement in price.
We have no stock of either Hams or Shoulders. The
value of Pork remains unaltered, the chief inquiry being
for Mess : the market is cleared of Prime. Our stock of
Cheese is almost exhausted, a large business having been
transacted both by public and private sales : nearly the
whole of the 2700 boxes brought forward by auction last
week sold briskly at an advance on previous rates. Lard
has again fallen to about the lowest prices of the season,
a considerable reduction having taken place on the week.
The quotations are as fellow :--
Cheese-(duty paid)-Fine, 46s to 52s per cwt. ; middling,
39s to 45s ; ordinary, 30s to 38s. Beef-U.S. (free)-Prime
mess, per tree. 3041b.' 87s 6d to 92s 6d ; ordinary, 80s to 85s,
old -s to -s; extra, India, family, &c., -s to -s; ditto, per
half-barrel, 26s 6d to 38s ;-mess, per barrel, 2001 b., -s to -s ;
ordinary, 405 to 465, old -s to -s•, prime, 385 to 40s. Pork--
U.S. (free)-Prime mess, 36s to 58s, old -s to -s per barrel,
2001 b. ; prime, -s to -s, old -s to -s; mess, family mess,
&c., 55s to 565, old -s to -s. Bacon-(free)-Eastern, -s to
-5 ; western, 32s to 445; shoulders, - s to -s, old -s to -s
per cwt. Hams-Dried, (duty paid,) 35s to 425 per cwt. ;
Canadian, (free,) 60s. Lard-(free)-Fine, in kegs and barrels,
39s 6d to 40s per cwt.; good, in do. do., 38s to 398; ordinary
to middling, 36s to 37s ; inferior, and grease, 30s to 345.
Butter-Canada, (duty paid,) 60s to 66s per cwt. ; grease, (free,)
405 to 445. Soda Biscuit-(duty paid)-268 to 288 per cwt.
Apples-(duty paid)-12s to 17s per barrel.
The best qualities of IRISH Butter maintain the prices
quoted last week, but middling and lower kinds are
cheaper, with a limited consumption for every descrip-
tion. Some new Bacon from Belfast, which has just
come into the market, sells slowly at 60s. ; and new Beef,
an article of Irish produce which we have not had to no-
tice in our report previously this year, is selling at 925. 6d.
(the highest price for American.)
THE TIMBER TRADE.-The supplies sent to this port
of N. A. Colonial Wood (railway sleepers included) have
been brought in about 253 vessels, engaging a tonnage of
152,000. During the contemporary period last year, there
arrived 210 vessels, 118,000 tons. The sales from the
quay are of Quebec Yellow Pine, at prices ranging from
131 d. to 15d. per foot. according to average size and qua-
lity ; St. John, of the various sizes, say inches average
20, 19, 181, and 18, sold at 184 d. 171c1., and 161 d. per
foot; a cargo of small Miramichi Pine sold at 1310., and
one of Dalhousie at 13d. per foot; Quebec Red Pine has
been sold with cargo at from 171 d. to 181 d., and St. John
and Lower Port at from 114 d. to 13d. per foot. Spruce
Planks are still at a reduced value : they are unprece-
dentedly low : the last sales are quoted at, for Prince
Edward's Island, £5 3s. lid., and for Miranaithi £7 to
£7 ss. per standard.
The subjoined notices of several important items of
East and West India produce we transcribe from the
valuable monthly circular of Messrs. T. and H. Littledale,
published on Saturday :-
" TEA.-The market still is very inanimate-but little doing.
Common to good common congous are difficult of sale at easier
rates : there is less inquiry for the fine and finest kinds, and
prices have a downward tendency, holders generally being de-
sirous to realise. Scented Capers continue in demand, but are
very scarce. Scented Orange Pekoes, in which there have
been but few transrctions, are id. to Id. per pound lower. The
required kinds of Greens are scarce, viz., Imperials, Gun-
powders, and Fine Young Hysons ; Twankays and Common
Young Hysons are almost unsaleable, and Hysons are very
dull of safe at Id. to 2d. per lb. decline. The clearances for the
month have been very fair, viz., 1,143,493 lbs., against 1,025,155
lbs. same month last year.
" SUGAR.-In the early part of the month we had a very
heavy market for Sugar, but holders giving way Is. per cwt.,
caused grocers and refiners to buy extensively, and during the
last fortnight a large business has been done at this decline.
1,200 hhds. of West India, half of which were Barbadoes, at
345. to 405., and 15,000 bags Benares at 575. 6d. for low White,
to 425. 6d. for very fine. There seems to be an impression
at last thrt Sugar has seen the lowest point. The consumption
continues highly satisfactory, and the total excess in the stocks
in the kingdom is now only 8, GO tons. Here we have a falling
off of 7,000 tons, being 26,000 against 33,000.
" We have again to report a most unsatisfactory state of our
COFFEE market; prices are not much lower this month, but
it is extremely difficult to make sales. Good Native Ceylon is
not worth more than 28s. per cwt.
" The market for RUM has been very quiet, and prices are
again rather lower.
" In RICE there has not been much doing, but prices have
been nearly supported; the last few days there has been more
inquiry, particularly for the lower descriptions for Ireland.
E. 1. HEMPS are in fair demand. JUTE commandsa ready
sale: good strong quality commands 105. to per ton.
" The sales in SALTPETRE have been considerable-8,000
bags, but at low prices for the common and middling descrip.
tions ; 7 per cent. at 235., sat 245. 6d., and 2at 265. NITRATE
has been heavy of sale, at 10s. 9d. to Ils. per cwt.
" The London INDIGO sale opened with some spirit at an
' advance on July rates of 3d. to 4d. per lb., but towards the
middle there was less disposition shewn to purchase, and the
sale closed heavily at par to 3(1. advance. Good and fine Ma-
dras were scarce, and brought an advance of 4d. per lb. 500
chests will be offered here by. auction on the 23d instant.
"SILK.-The public sales just concluded have confirmed the
highest prices previously paid by speculators, thus establishing
a rise of 2s, to 3s. per lb. on the lowest quotations in July last
in China Raw Silk. The quantity purchased by manufacturers
was comparatively small, notwithstanding, which importers and
dealers are very firol in holding at the extreme Advance.