The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-05-09 00:00:00

GENERAL TRADE REPORT.

Monday Evening.

The past week evidences a further progression to im-
provement, and with a better trade, every description of
public secu`rities having attained higher prices than have
been realized for many previous weeks. The only draw-
backs of any importance are the extensive failures in
Scotland, more especially that of Messrs. Eccles, Burn-
ley, and Co., West India merchants, of Glasgow, as
chewing the abiding effects of the Sugar Duty Act of
1846 upon the commercial relations of Great Britain and
her colonies. The prospect of a peaceable termination of
the Danish war, by the intervention of England, the
favourable auspices under which the French National As-
sembly has opened, together with the fine weather and
quietude at home, have effected a restoration of confidence
which we hope to see not only permanent but progressive.
Consols have risen again this week, and reached 84* on
Wednesday ; since then they have ranged rather lower,
but on Satuiday were steady, and experienced an advance
of a quarter per cent., the effect of the further large di-
minution of £349,675 in the bullion of the Bank having
been counteracted, probably, by the extensive insurances
known to have been made on account of anticipated
supplies from Russia. The first. quotation of Consols,
both for money and for time, wits 83i to l, and they closed
at 831 to The business of the day was chiefly in con-
nexion with arrangements for the settlement to-morrow.
While we were writing, important news arrived from
Rome, to the effect that, unless the Pope concedes to the
wishes of his people, by declaring war against Austria, a
provisional government will be appointed. Whatever the
Pope's answer may be, it is possible that the feature of
the war may be entirely changed by this proceeding, and
we anxiously await the result of his deliberations, which he
will have to communicate on the expiry of 24 hours from
the time of the demand being made.
The SHARE MARKET of the week has been again uni-
formly good, without hardly a momentary decline. Prices
have steadily advanced, and considerable purchases have
been made daily by a good description of buyers. Prices
at the close last night were higher than for some time.
London Stock, 132 4 ; Midland, 102 4.
The advance .n the price of CorroN noticed in our last
publication, consequent on the extensive demand on Mon-
day, has scarcely been supported during the week ; the
daily business has been more moderate, and with a less
animated market, buyers have found greater facilities in
making their purchases, which, in most rases, have been
effected on more advantageous terms. On Saturday, the
sales amounted to 4,500 bales, 500 for export, prices re-
maining steady. TO-DAY there has been a good attend-
ance of spinners (chiefly of the smaller class), the market
opening with a steady but not animated demand. The
sales are estimated at about 5,000 bales, mostly in the
common and middling qualities of American, which con-
tinue very firm in price. The market by no means over-
weighted with quantity. 500 bales for export.—The re-
ceipts of Cotton into the ports of the United States conti-
nue to increase : they are 1,683,137 bags by the last ad-
vices, being' 232,212 above the receipts of the correspond-
ing period last year ; and the stocks in the interior towns
are about 70,000 bags beyond last year at the same time:
the same character still prevails as to the growth in the
different sections of the United States, viz., a great in-
crease in the New Orleans district, and a great decrease in
Georgia and South Carolina.

The business done in Foreign Wow, this week has
been on a very limited scale, which may in some measure
be attributed to London colonial sales which commenced
on Thursday last : those already sold have gone lower than
last February sales. Alpaca is dull.-Imports of Scotch
for the week. 30 ; previously, 5429 ; total, 5459: Foreign,
previously, 22,621.
COLONIAL MARKETS.-There has been great activity
in the Sugar market since Thursday last, and the sales are
very considerable at a further improvement in prices : the
grocers and refiners continue to purchase freely, and have
taken 220 hhds. West India, 5,000 bags Bengal, 300 mats
Mauritius, and 6,000 bags Manilla.-There is rather more
inquiry for Rum : a few parcels have been sold at a reduc-
tion of Id. to 2d. per gallon.-Saltpetre is rgain lower:
500 bags 31 g refraction fetched 295. 6d. per cwt.-The
market for Tea the last few days has been much firmer,
and there is more disposition to buy at previous prices.
-The London markets continue to present signs of im-
provement, and the transactions this week have again
been on an extended scale. Confidence seems gradually
gaining ground, and the buyers for home consumption
have shewn more inclination to enter into negotiations,
and have purchased somewhat freely. In the sugar mar-
ket especially there has been considerable activity, the
biddings at the sales have generally been animated, and
an advance of 6d. to Is. per cwt. has been established.
There has been more animation this week in the mar-
ket for Scotch Pig IRON ; prices have an upward ten-
dency, and may be quoted 445. for mixed numbers at
Glasgow-cash.
There has been a fair demand for Tarsi! Butter during
the week; but the arrivals being more than sufficient to
meet it, prices have gradually receded, and on Saturday
sales could not be effected at the following reduced quota-
tions,-for Waterford, (new) 98s. to 100 s. ; Carrick (new),
Ioos. ; Cork Dry, Thirds, 925. Bacon : Long Middles
(free from bone), 565. to 60s. ; Short Middles (ditto),
58s. to 60s. Lard : Fine Keg, 545. to 565.-Arrivals for
the week ending this day: Butter, 4422 firkins, 826 crocks;
Bacon, 142 bales; Hams, 6 hhds; Lard, 6 tierces,l26kegs.
A good business has been transacted in AMERICAN
LARD since our last, and prices have been maintained.
350 tierces, 2,611 barrels, 1,000 kegs, and 560 pails, were
brought forward at the public sale on Tuesday, nearly the
whole of which found buyers. There was also a sale of
Bacon on Tuesday, at which full prices were realized,
the demand for this article being on the increase. Good
Hams, in salt, maintain their full value. Beef steadily
supports former rates. Fine parcels of " prime mess"
Pork command the highest quotation, in consequence of
the scarcity of the article ; but there is less demand for
Strips. The late imports of Cheese have been of mid-
dling quality, and have sold at 40s. to 445. ; fine would
readily command 525. The current rates are :-
Cheese-(duty paid)-Fine, 48s to 52s per cwt. ; middling,
43s to 465; ordinary, 37s to 425. Beef-U.S., (free)-Prime
mess, per tree. 3341 b., 858 to 92s 6d; ordinary, '765 to 838, old
60s to 68s; extra, India, family, &c., 97s to 1055; ditto, per
half-barrel, 30s to 35s ;-mess, prr barrel, 2001 b., 508 to 56s ;
ordinary, 405 to 465, old 36s to 40s ; prime, 34s ta 365. Pork-
U.S., (free)-Prime mess, per barrel, 2001 b., 55s to 725, old 485
to 565; prime, 40s to 455, old 35s to 40s; mess, family mess,
&c., 55s to 60s, old 48s to 525. Bacon-(free)-Eastern, 50s to
545; western, 375 to 525 ; shoulders, old 22s to 26s per cwt.
Hens-Dried, (duty paid,) old 20s to 50s per cwt. ; in salt,
(free,) 38s to 465, old 26s to 325. Lard-(free)-Fine, in kegs
42s to 455, in barrels 42s to 45s per cwt.; ordinary to middling,
36s to 38s; inferior, and grease, 30s to 355. Butter-Grease,
(free,) 40s to 45s per cwt. Pilo! Biscuit, 15s to 205 per cwt.
Our CORN market has been moderately steady since
Friday ; if anything, prices are rather on the wane, with
the exception of Indian corn and meal, of which our ex-
ports to Ireland this week have been exceedingly large,
(7,100 qrs. of the former and 600 bales of the latter hav-
ing been forwarded on Friday and Saturday), and the ar-
rivals only moderate ; consequently it is not quite so easy
to purchase to-day as on Friday. The English markets
for Wheat at the close of the week were rather depressed ;
the Irish markets, on the contrary, were a little on the
advance ; in other articles there is no material change to
note. The weather is very favourable at present for all
kinds of crops, and the showers of last night and this
morning must have operated very beneficially. We quote
the following observations from the monthly circular of
Messrs. Joseph and Charles Sturge, of Birmingham :-
" Although during almost the whole of the past month we
have had ungenial weather for the crops on the ground,
with a succession of rain at short intervals to an extent
which is very rare at this season of the year, particularly
after the quantity which fell in the previous month, and
the Wheats on all the wet soils have assumed a yellow and
unhealthy appearance, yet our farmers continue to supply
the markets freely, and the imports having been unex-
pectedly large into Londonlwe have scarcely any improve-
ment in the value of this grain, since we issued our last
Monthly Circular. The last four days the weather has
become finer and more settled, with a higher barometer;
and though this may lessen the supplies from the close
occupation in finishing the sowing of Spring Corn, which
has been greatly retarded, and in many cases quite sus-
pended, by the wet weather, yet such is the general indis-
position to hold any stock by our millers, that nothing but
the actual consumption exceeding the supply is likely to
produce any material effect upon our prices. The low
price of bread, compared with meat and other food, tends
materially to increase the consumption of the former,
and as the high relative value of Wheat in America has
almost stopped supplies either of Wheat or Flour from
that quarter, and the quotations from the Baltic offer no
margin for imports except of the finest qualities, we
cannot look for any considerable arrivals into Gloucester
except from the Black Sea ; and though at the present
rates of freight and duty, it might be imported from thence
without loss, few will probably be disposed to ship from
so great a distance to meet the uncertainty of another
harvest. As usual, we have no ground on which to form
any correct estimate of the quantity of Wheat remaining
in the hands of our farmers, and we have not sufficient
data even to risk an opinion upon it ; but we think it is
now mostly in the possession of those who will be greatly
influenced in bringing it forward by the appearance of the
growing crops. The most recent quotations from some of
the foreign shipping ports are low enough to leave a
margin for importation, although owing to the unsettled
state of Europe they are very uncertain, and the mode of
payment difficult."
The sales by auction last week tested the TIMBER
market, for although considerable quantities of Pine, Oak,
Staves, &c. were offered, the business resulting was but
trifling, and generally exhibited a further decline in the
value Of American Woods. Of the Quebec yellow pine
offered none was sold, but of a cargo of Miramichi sold,
131 logs brought 140. to 141 d., and the remainder only
12d. per foot. 100 logs of Quebec red pine were sold at
18d. to 181 d., and 179 logs elm at Md. to 161 d. per foot,
and by private 3000 feet at 18d. per foot. Of the Quebec
yellow deals, second and third quality, about 1600 pieces
were sold at £9 per standard, and last Friday about 40
standard, second quality floated, at £lO per standard ; and
1000 pieces thin spruce battens at lid. per foot. Of
Quebec Oak, 4500 feet good quality were sold at from
ls. 94d. to 2s. 11d. per foot, and these comprise all the
public operations in colonial woods. Of Baltic Woods a
small cargo of common Dantzic timber was sold at 17id.
per foot average, and 8 standard. St. Petersburg redwood
deals at £l6 10s. per standard, and a few Swedish at £l2
per standard. Privately the several qualities of Dantzic
timber have been sold at from 171 d. to 19.1 d. per foot.
Deck planks at 3d. per foot, and lathwood at £1 per foot
long per fathom. Pitch Pine offered by auction early in
the week was not sold, but on Friday a cargo from Sayan
nah was sold at from ls. 6d. to 2s. 2d., or 18d. 7-16 per
foot average, and four pitch pine masts at from 2s. 6d. to
2s. 9d. per foot calliper. Middling pitch pine planks, say
152, were sold at 21c1. per foot of 2 inches. Mahogany.-
The sales last week were well attended, but the averages
yielded are disappointing to importers, and evidence that
the general depression in the wood trade has at length
effectually reached this branch. Honduras, to the extent
of 151,914 feet, sale measurement, was sold at 3d. 15-32
per foot average, being nearly all ship building wood, a 1.4