The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-10-18 00:00:00

CHESTER MICHAELMAS FAIR.

The great Michaelmas fair, which commenced on Thursday
last, was not so well attended as we have witnessed on former
occasions. The horse fair was rather throng, and there seemed
to be a plentiful show of moderately good and inferior animals;
of the better kinds there was au evident scarcity. Little busi-
ness was done and that little at low prices. The cattle market
was abundantly supplied, particularly with the Scotch breed.
There was, however, a great scarcity of prime stock; and good
things of every description met ready sale at an advanced price.
Of sheep there was a moderate supply only; but, as in the case
of cattle, the limited number of good ones rendered them valu-
able, and they sold freely for more money than at the last fair.
Pigs were never more abundant; it is but seldom a greater
number are seen than that offered at this fair. Sales wore ex-
tensive, but at lower, prices..
The wool market was almost- blank, as 'it correertied both
buyers and sellers. A little lamb's wool, however, was offered,
which did not meet with purchasers, and the aspect of the mar-
ket will justify us in stating that this commodity is a shade
lower. Of leather there was an indifferent supply both as to
quantity and quality, a few sales were effected, and the prices
may be quoted as uuder:—skins Is. 6d. to 2s. 2d., kips Is. 4d.
to Is. 6d., sole Is. Id. to Is. 4d., English horse hides (scarce)
Is. 4d. to Is. 5d., foreign bends Is. 4d. to is. 6d. The cheese
fair, though not so well filled as we have seen it at this period,
was tolerably supplied, particularly with small dairies. It met
ready sale at rather lower prices ; generally it was sold from 445.
to 58s. per cwt. ; but it is said that one dairy belonging to Mr.
Humphreys, of Higher Berse, near Wrexham, fetched 675.
This dairy was the admiration of all the factors, some of whom
pronounced' it a " non-such."
The quantity orhops offered for sale in bulk, was scarcely
ever less, and the business done in them by sample very limited.
The quality of the present year's growth is much better than
was expected, particularly in the Worcester hops, which are
equal to any grown in that district for several years past. Of
the Kent and Sussex hops the same cannot be said, though
there are excellent samples of those growths to be met wit.
A considerable portion of the hops grown this year will be de-
ficient in colour, and of inferior quality. We are glad, how-
ever, to learn, that the storm which created such alarm for the
fate of the crops, was not so fatal as had been anticipated.
Some of the best judges attribute any injury which the hops
may have sustained more to a few frosty nights a fortnight
before the high wind, than to the latter circumstance ; be that
as it may, they are, either from one cause or the other, £2 to
£3 per cwt. dearer than they were expected to be six or eight
weeks ago. The duty at that time was laid at.1:200,000; it is.'
now down at £152,000; and the general impression is that it
will fall short of that amount. The present prices are :--
New Kent pockets .......... £7 0..t0.. £8 0
(Very fine, higher.)
Sussex.,,. ......... 6 0..t0.. 7 7
Worcester .. 6 0..t0.. 8 0
(Very fine, higher )
Yearlings
1831
1830
1827
18'26 ......... . ...
Old olds ...
1 5..t0.. 2 10
The almost deserted appearance of the Union and Commer-
cial Halls, indicates that our fairs are upon the decline, at least
so far as the retail trade is concerned; a fact which redounds
to the credit of our resident shopkeepers, who have, it appears,
by their industry and enterprise, almost convinced their fellow-
citizens and the neighbourhood, that " fair bargains can no
longer be coveted as cheap bargains ;" and that all kinds of
goods can be supplied from their shops and warehouses upon as
good terms, at least, as the itinerant merchants can afford to
sell them at in the Halls.