The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-06-13 00:00:00

GENERAL TRADE REPORT.

Monday Night.
If any thing were needed to demonstrate the peculiarly
unspeculative nature of our present commercial dealings,
the last statistical return of the Liverpool cotton trade,
as given below, amply supplies the deficiency. We find
that the amount taken on speculation from the Ist Jan.
to the 9th June, 1848, was not one-eighth of that taken
during the corresponding period last year ; whilst it is also
shown that it is not only in this department that the trade
has suffered, the exports having been less by 10,750 bales.
It is worthy of notice, however, that although the trade
has been so far limited, the demand for consumption
has increased 111,200 bales. That a vast quantity of mo-
ney is lying idle at a time like the present is not at all sur-
prising ; and it is satisfactory to know that consumers
have not only kept pace with previous purchases, but
have gone somewhat beyond them. Our monetary affairs
still continue prosperous, and Consols may be quoted ge-
nerally higher, the lowest point during the nest week hav-
ing been 831-, at which they were once quoted on Satur-
day, in consequence of the arrival of lower prices from
Paris, and the insurrectionary news from Lahore. They
finally recovered, however, to 841 to 11.
SHARES continue very dull, and prices of some stocks
have receded still further. London and North-Western,
which were last Monday 126, are to-day 122. In other
stocks (with the exception of Dovers, which are very
flat) there has been no material change in price. Royal
Assurance Shares still continue in demand at an advanced
price, and are only kept from a considerable rise by
Chartist excitement.
The transactions in the COLONIAL MARKET for the
last three or four days have not been large, owing princi-
pally to holders not pressing their produce for sale. Sugar
has presented rather a dull appearance : the sales are 100
hhds. West India, and 1000 bags Bengal, at previous
rates. There is not much activity in the Rum Market;
31 to 38 per cents. will not fetch more than 23 9d to 3s per
gallon. Coffee on the whole has been dull, particularly
for the inferior kinds : good and fine qualities are at the
present time rather scarce and in request, and have in
consequence supported formerprices. At auction, 1200 bags
of Laguayra of the new crop went at 36s to 57s 6d per cut.
For Rice a limited demand exists, and it moves off but
slowly, at previous low rates. At sale 2,000 bags yellow
cargo went at 7s 6:1 to 7s 9d, and 500 bags mixed Bengal
raw, broken, and mixed, 93 6d duty paid. Jute con-
tinues to be in good request : 500 bales fetched £l4
to £l5 per ton for common to middling quality.
—in London the public sales of sugar have been mode-
rate, and although importers have been tolerably firm,
they have again had to make a concession in price of about
6d. per cwt. Coffee has barely maintained previous rates.
The prices of tea have been well maintained, and for the me-
dium kinds and finer sorts of congou a slight advance has
been occasionally realised. Saltpetre has experienced a
further fall.
The demand for Foreign Wow. is still very languid ;
East India and Low Buenos Ayres are almost the only
descriptions enquired for. Of the latter, there have been
some large sales made during the past week. Alpaca is
in request. The public sales advertised for the 20th will,
it is expected, be postponed for the present, as part will
not be landed in time. Rather more has been done in
Scotch, principally in crossed laid and cheviot, but no
change in prices. Imports for the week : Foreign, from
West Coast 128, previously 34,331 ; total 34,459.
Scotch, 22; previously 5,125.; total 5,147.
There was some demand for Scotch Pig IRON during
last week, but the market is again dull, and prices may
be quoted 425. 6d. at Glasgow.
Still influenced by the large supplies of fresh Butter,
which pour into our country markets, the demand for
IRISH Butter continues limited, and prices are a little
easier; with the probability, however, of the haymaking
season commencing shortly in this district, we may look
forward to a better demand. The arrivals from Water-
ford and Cork to this port are somewhat diminishing,
whilst those from the northern districts are on the in-
crease : the imports, for the week ending this day are
6741 firkins and 1145 crocks. Prices (landed): Water-
ford, new, 88s. to 90s. ; Carrick, new, 88s. ; Cork dry
thirds, 80s. ; Wexford, Carlow, 86s. to 88s. ; Ballymoney
and Coleraine, 86s. The arrivals of Bacon are 114 bales,
sizeable samples of which are in good demand, but heavy
meat or interior qualities move badly : Long Middles,
free from bone, new, 565. to 58s. ; Short Middles, 58s.
Fine Keg Lard, 50s. to 525.
A fair extent of business has been done in AMERICAN
Lard by private, and at the public sale last week ordi-
nary qualities were disposed of at former rates. and finer
descriptions at an improvement of is to is 6d, thus re-
gaining the loss of the previous week. Beef is in fair
demand. The market is well supplied with " prime
mess" Pork, and prices are not very firm. The sales of
Bacon scarcely keep pace with the imports, which are
large, and importers have given way in price ls to 2s per
cwt. There has been a good inquiry for Hams in dry
salt, and all offering have been taken at 32s to 39s 6d ;
the market has also been cleared of old at about 30s. New
Shoulders have been taken at 22s to 255, and are in fair
demand. There is no Grease Butter in the market, and
the article is likely to be very scarce this season, as we
shall have very little of our own.—Prices current :
Checse—(duty paid)—Fine, 48s to 528 per cwt. ;
43s to 46s ; ordinary, 33s to 425. Beef—U.S. (free)—Prime
mess, per tree. 3041 b., Sys to 92s 641; ordinary, 768 to 83s, old
60s to 68s • extra, India, family, &c., 97s to 105 s; ditto, per
half-barrel, 30s to 33s ;—mess, per barrel, 2001 b., 50s to 568 ;
ordinary, 40s to 465, old 36s to 40s; prime, 348 to Ifs. Pork—
U.S. (free)—Prime mess, 55s to 655, old 48s to 50s per barrel,
2001 b. ; prime, 40s to 455. old 35s to 40s; mess, family mess,
&c., 50s to 60s, old 44s to 50s. Bacon—(free)—Eastern, 47s to
51s ; western, 36s to 46s ; shoulders, 22s to 265, old 20s to Vs
per cwt. Bains—Dried, (duty paid,) old 20s to 30s per cwt. ;
in salt, (free,) 32s to 48s. Lard—(free)—Fine, in kegs and bar-
rels, 42s to 44s per cwt. ; good, in do. do., I s to 40s ' • ordinary
to middling, 37s ed to 38s ; inferior, and grease, 2.8 s to 345.
Butter—Grease. (free,) 40s to 45s per cwt. Pilot Biscuit—
(duty paid)-15s to 20s per cwt.
There has been a slow, quiet COTTON market to-day ;
few of the trade here, and the sales not more than 4,500
bales, of which 1,500 have been purchased by one house,
(Wrigley's,) leaving a very limited demand for the general
buying. The transactions have again been almost exclu-
sively confined to the common class of American, at about
Saturday's prices. During the week the market has been
flat ; and although we cannot alter the quotations of the
previous week, the daily demand has been very freely met
by holders, and buyers have had an opportunity of making
a better selection, in some instances, probably on more
advantageous terms. There have been taken on specula-
tion this year 22,500 bales.; ditto in 1847, 184,400; stock
in Liverpool 31st December, 1847, 363,530; ditto in 1846,
438,970; forwarded unsold this year, 10,220; ditto last
year, 18,050; increase of import this year as compared
with last, 191,613 ; decrease in stock as compared with last
off
sold per
year, 14,900 • quantity taken for consumption this year,
562.500; ditto in 1847, same period, 451,300; increase of
quantity taken for consumption, 111,200.
The TIMBER trade latterly has been very dull, the de-
mand being of the most limited nature since the Ist. Six
cargoes of American timber have arrived, and only one, a
cargostandard. of T
Spruceno , Deals,
parcels Loafs
Pitchhen sold,Pine atha
have
le 7e sn
. 6ci
the quay, one at 191 d. per foot, and an inferior lot at 17111.
per foot. From the yard au old cargo of Quebec Pine was
sold at 131 d. per foot.
The prices of TOBACCO are :—Virginia leaf faded, per
lb. on board, 21. d. to Ved. ; ordinary sound, 3d. to 32d. ;
middling, 4d. ; good. 41d. to sd. ' • fine, 51d. ; stemmed
sound, 3d. to 61d.; Kentncky leaf,2/d. to 4d. ; stemmed,
3d. to 51d. ; manufactured, 4d. to 9d.
There has been very little passing in the CORN trade
here to-day, except as regards Indian Corn and Meal,
which articles, meeting with an increased demand, have
again advanced in price, and must be noted, the former
ls. 63. per quarter, and the latter ls. 3d. to ls. 6d. per
barrel, dearer than on Friday, 365. 6d. having been ob-
tained for Indian Corn. This, however, comined with
the improvement which took place on Friday, does not
make up for the decline which, as will be seen in another
page, took place on Tuesday. The markets generally
throughout the United Kingdom seem rather lower, the
only exception being Indian Corn and Meal. Imports since
Thursday :—Wheat, Coastwise, 1085 ; Europe, &c., 2100
qrs.: Malt, Ireland, 70 ; Coastwise, 420 qrs.: Oats, Ire-
land, 1350 qrs.: Beans, Europe, &c., 900 qrs.: Indian
Corn, United States, 1912 qrs.: Oatmeal, Ireland, 1230
loads : Flour, Ireland, 2168 sacks. Exports since Thurs-
day :—Wheat, Coastwise, 125 qrs.: Indian Corn, Ire-
land, 1650 qrs.: Indian Corn Meal, Ireland, 850 barrels :
Flour, Coastwise, 90 sacks; 150 brls.: Ireland, 790 brls.
The amount of notes in circulation, according to the
last return from the Bank of England, is £17,779,405,
being a decrease of £32,550; and the stock of bullion in
both departments is £13,597,206, showing an increase of
£82.467 when compered with the previous return.
We have to-day to announce two further failures in the
gast Intlia_irsula,Al....articia being Messrs. Kolgalls and
Co., and Messrs. Speir and Co. The liabilities are not '
large in either case, but the houses were both very res-
pectable, and bad they failed a year or two back, the
amount would have been considerable. A succession of
bad remittances from India have led to these stoppages ;
but in the case of Messrs. Kellsalls, it is understood that
the resources of the firm were crippled some time ago by
the failure of Alexander Beattie and Co., of Calcutta ; while
in that of Messrs. Speir and Co. the death of the senior
partner is stated as the immediate cause.

The accounts of the banks ofarrance for the present
week exhibit some important variations, but on the whole
they show no material improvement in the position of
that establishment, while as regards the government
balances they are again decidedly unfavourable. The spe-
cie had increased about £382,000, and the circulation
about £315,000. The private deposits have decreased
about £119,000, and the government deposits, notwith-
standing the approaching payment of the dividends, have
only increased £2,000. The total discounts have increased
195,000, a diminultion in Paris having been more than
counteracted by an increase at the branches. The most
remarkable item in the statement is a decrease of
£447,000 in the overdue bills ; since, although there is an
addition of £90,000 under the head of protested bills, it
is difficult to imagine that the balance of £357,000 can
have been met within the space of a single week. Pro-
bably, however, the explanation would be found in a
large number of renewals having been acceded to.
The Three per Cents. closed on the Paris Bourse on
Saturday, at 45f. 75c. ; the Five per Cents., CBf.
The Brussels papers publish at length the statutes of the
banking establishment, lately constituted by joint sub-
scription, called the " Union of Credit." the professed
object of which is to afford assistance in the shape of dis-
counts to the commercial, agricultural, and manufacturing
interests.

The advices from Amsterdam of the Gth of June mention
the failure of the house of Mr. Jacob Post. From Ham-
burgh the letters of the same date report no alteration.
Money was still a drug at 4 per cent.; and as regards
business, although some cotton had been sold, and sugar
inquired for, it was at prices " tremendously low."
It Is mentioned in the continental papers that, as the
great majority of the creditors of Schaffhausen and Co.
have accepted the terms of liquidation proposed
committee of investigation, there is reason to believe that
the firm will, at no distant period, be enabled to resume
business. by the

IMPORTANT TO OUR SHIPPING INTERESTS
MEASUREMENT OF BRITISH SHIPS.

One would imagine, upon being initiated (if that were
possible) into the mysteries of our shipping laws, that in
place of being, as we assume to be, the greatest maritime
nation in the world, we are in fact only tyros in the seve-
ral arts appertaining to navigation. We can certainly
build ships not to be excelled by any in the world if we
be so minded, but though we have arrived at the sublime-
science of measuring a cask of rum to an azimuth of half
a pint, we have not yet attained the more vulgar skill to
ascertain the true admeasurement of a good lump of a
ship within an approximation of one or two hundred tons,
as the size may be ! The old law of measurement was
faulty in the extreme, the depth of hold being considered
too insignificant for notice, and hence, to evade duty, (and
who would not if they could accomplish it legitimately !)
we had mercantile " poor men? ships," that might carry
a third more than their registered tonnage, because " wall
sided," to reduce the beam, and of such depth of hull,
by the super-addition to anything like fair proportions, of
a cellar under where the kelson ought to be, giving the
vessel when loaded an enormous draught of water, and
rendering her, when light, so crank and unstable, that
before the imported cargo could be all discharged, new
cargo or ballast had to be taken in, in order to keep her
on her legs, or. in other words, to prevent her from falling
on her beam ends ! Fraud could also be practised by the
mode in which the " perpendiculars" were to be struck
for length. The new rule (of 1836) is equally faulty,
giving a fictitious increase of tonnage to British ships
which are subjected to it, while (mirabile dicta!) foreign
vessels are measured, for dues, by another section of the
act of parliament, which, though it approximates the true
burthen, gives them an advantage over our own ships
of, upon an average, 20 per cent in tonnage !
The maritime public ought to consider themselves much
indebted to our townsman, Mr. Henry Cleaver Chapman,
agent to Lloyd's at this port, and himself a nautical man,
for an able exposition of the injustice noticed, in addition
to his able pamphlet, published some few years ago, on
the uniform and proportionate rig of square-rigged mer-
chant vessels. He has expressed his ideas on the subject
in a circular, demonstrating, by help of a few simple but
accurate diagrams, the evils under notice, and " the
necessity of an inquiry into the present mode of measuring
British ships." He shows that the new method, adopted
in 1836, is a fallacy, and after describing the only really
true manner of ascertaining the precise tonnage—namely,
measuring and reducing to weight the water which the
vessel displaces, he states" that the nearest approxima-
tion by dimensions will be found to be by the 6th section
s.and 6 Ivilliain IV., cap. 56, by which all foreign ships
are measured, whilst British ships are subjected to mea-
surement under the 2nd section, commonly called the new
mode of measurement, whereby a fictitious increase of
British tonnage of from 15 to 25 per cent. has been re-
corded since 1836, as shown in the following cases :
Ships. Tens old. Tons new.
Scotland 869 1079
Pemberton 1067 1250
Ganges
and others. He remarks that from these examples it is
clear that " all the statistical returns of British tonnage,
since 1836, are fallacious, as a standard of comparison,
and therefore the premises of the President of the Board
of Trade, and the Chairman of the Dock Committee, on
which they ground their reasons, and shape their mea-
sures, are erroneous, and all they assert should be taken
at what it is worth, viz., a discount of 20 per cent. This
may, in some measure, account for the legislative wild-
ness so characteristic of the present age, and which may
be said to approach to statistical insanity, a madman being
described by an eminent philosopher as one who reasoned.
well, but from unsound premises; that was, he acted
under a delusion, reasoning rightly, but mistaking facts."
He concludes by giving, as an example of the inequality
of measurement, the following "returns of American ships
trading to Liverpool:—

NEW YORK PACKET•SHIPS

Packets.

Gth section. 6th section .
American light dues (lock dues
measurement. by Queen's by dock
measurer. measurer.
Isaac Wright 1161 40-15 tbs 1252 128 G
West Point 1046 57-95ths 1102 1150
'Yorkshire
Columbia lO5O 25-95ths 1132 1168
Queen of the West
Sheridan 895 50-95ths 1002 980
Henry Clay 1207 37-95ths 1467 1484
Constitution 1327 22-95ths 1580 1609

8842 tons 9365 tons 10,069 tons
The above ships are measured by the American law,
which is the old English law abolished in 1836; if mea-
sured by the new English mode, under the 2nd section,
the tonnage would be greater than under the 6th section,
by which all foreign ships are now measured for dock and
light dues."

LATEST FOREIGN AND COLONIAL,

INDIA.
DISTURBANCES IN MOULTAN.,

(From the Times of yesterday.)

ALEXANDRIA, MAY 29.
The Honourable East India Company's steamer, Semi-
ramis arrived at Suez on the 27th instant, having on boar&
Sir G. It. Clerk, K.C.8., late Governor of Bombay, and
suite. The Semiramis left Bombay on the 7th, and has
brought the following important intelligence, which is
taken from a supplement of the Bombay Times, dated the
6th of May :

"LAHORE, APRIL 25.
" The news from Moultan savours of war. There has
been a fight b,tween our political agents, Anderson and
Vans Agnew, at the head of the Khalsa troops, and the
Moultanees, in which the former were defeated. Both
Vans Agnew and Anderson have been severely wounded.
A detachment of the Maharajah's troops, under Deena
Nauth, left yesterday; and her Majesty's 10th, Stb,
and 50th Native Infantry, Wheeler's Horse, Campbell's
Troop Horse Artillery. and Austin's battery, are under
orders for immediate service. It is said that Moultan is
in a very disturbed state. Brigadier Campbell, C. 8., as-
sumes the command of the column, which is quite ready.
The fort of Moultan cost Runjeet.Singh 2,000 men. The
Dewan Moolraj of Moult= has broken off all allegiance
to the Lahore Government. M. Vans Agnew is shut up
in a 'Gurree' with 500 men, and great fears are enter-
tained for his safety. The latest intelligence from Moul-
tan is to the 21st of April."

The source of this statement in the Bombay Times is
the Mofussilite of the 28th of April, which contains the
following letter from Lahore on the subject
There has been a fight between our politicals, at the
head of the Khalsa troops, and the Moultanees, in which
the former got thrashed. Vans Agnew was frightfully
wounded,—l believe cut to pieces. and Anderson also
wounded. Deena Nauth went off from this at the head
of his troops the night before last, to render his assis-
tance ; and at the ' witching hour' of twelve last night
we, the ' Flying Brigade,' viz., Artillery, Irregulars, her
Majesty's Bth, 10th, 50th, and 73d Native Infantry Regi-
ments, received orders to be ready at an hour's warning.
Report says that we start to-night, but nothing positive.
" However, good bye for the present, as everybody is
rushing about in the most frantic manner for camels, &e.
You may depend on it that I'll keep you au courant of
every movement, ard sincerely hope that you may have
to record lots of glorious deeds, which I think not at all,
improbable, as I believe that the Moultanee rebels consist
of 20,000 determined fellows. The Nawaub of Moulton
is with the unfortunate Vans Agnew's party.

" APRIL 25.
" Regcrdin; Andersen's death, it is only a durbar
report, no official communication has been received at the
Residency."

PARIS, SUNDAY.
The demand for 100,0001. a month by the Executive
Commission is to be brought on to-morrow, and treated
as a cabinet question. The committee is favourable to
the Government, but great dissatisfaction has been ex-
pressed at a meeting of 400 members at the conduct of the
Administration. The National is also wavering.
A bill for the exclusion of Louis Napoleon will be pre-
sented.

There was another mob gathering last night, when the
military closed all the avenues, and a multitude of priso-
ners were made.

No less than 16 more regiments were on their ,way to
Paris.

Letters of the 3d June attached to the head-quarters of
the Sardinian army at Volta state that the Austrians
triad refused the battle which the King offered on that
morning, and retired, as it was believed, into Mantua.
The Sardinian army mustered in position in front of Goito
at least 50,000 men. The Austrians did not exceed
35,000, perhaps not 30,000, but their lines were defended
by hasty field works and intrenchments, which are an
abandoned.

The Prince of Prussia made his first appearance in
public on the Bth, in the National Assembly. While an
irregular discussion was going on, as to whether one of
the bureaus should take a section of the constitution into
consideration, or whether three members from each bu-
reau should sit as a committee to examine the whole plan,
the speaker was interrupted by a loud shouting outside
the hall. In a few moments afterwards the Prince of
Prussia entered, to the great astonishment of all the
puties. Some members on the right rose to receive Mff,
but from the left many voices called out, " Keep your
seats." The Prince, who wore a general's uniform, took
his seat on the front bench to the right of the President.

ANOTHER BATTLE.—Accounts received in Hull on
Saturday from Hamburgh give the particulars of another
battle between the Danes and Germans, on the 6th inst.,
in which the former were driven back. It appears that
Danish patrols were seen in the vicinity of Gravenstein,
and that General Wrangel received news of the Danes
elnedupth a e
positionlderal
having landed considerable forces and taken
k
in and around Duppel. General Wrangel
Corps at once against the enemy. The battle was very
Thesang sanguinary,
s atnrodopms oarnel suenrti
eo
du st o
t hla6uoont
ob aitn
eo
nfwho Schleswig,
were
backed by a number of gun-boats. Five battalions of
Hanoverians stood the first charge of the Danes, from
which they sustained considerable loss. It was not till
the afternoon that the Prussian troops advanced, but
when they were led against the enemy they did so much
execution that the Danes were at once forced to retire to
Sonderburg. One battalion of the 31st (Prussian) Regi-
ment succeeded in completely disarming two of the
enemy's gun-boats, for they fired with so much precision
that they killed the crews consisting of 120 men. The
number of killed and wounded on the German side is as
yet unknown. The same is the case with the losses suf-
fered by the Danish troops, though the number of their
killed is estimated to be very considerable. 100 wounded,
most of them dangerously, were on the sth and on the
morning of the 6th brought to Flensburgh. Bu', there
are other reports, estimating the number of the wyancled
that entered Flensburg at 200.