The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-10-31 00:00:00

ST. PETER'S WARD

Last evening, a public meeting of the electors of this ward
took place at the Clarendon Rooms, for the purpose of hear-
ing from Mr. A. H. Wylie an exposition of his sentiments,
political as well as touching the local affairs of the borough,
that gentleman having been solicited to come forward as a
candidate for representing the ward There was a very
crowded attendance, J. Rickerby, Esq., occupied the chair,
and, in an appropriate address, introduced Mr. Wylie to the
electors, by whom he was received with several rounds of ap-
plause.

Mr. WYLIE then proceeded to address the meeting, which
he did at considerable length. After referring to his past po-
litical conduct, he said that, whatever might be the issue of
the contest in which they were engaged—for after the nu-
merously signed requisition that he would allow himself to
be brought forward, he could not refuse—be thanked them
most sincerely for the kind reception they had given him on
the present occasion. in his address, hurriedly written,
be had explained himself upon the subject, so far as he
could do within the limits .of a placard, and be would
now add that he had been a Liberal before that appella-
tion was at all fashionable, and when liberal and progressive
principles were thought by many to be detrimental to
the best interests of the country. He had lived to see the
day, however, when gent 'men who once were arrayed against
Liberalism, would be very sorry to witness a return to the
laws which had been abrogated. Mr. Wylie then at length
referred to the attempt of the legislature to wrest from the
borough the town dues, whose history he traced from the
time of the Duke of Lancaster to Heni y IV., and from him
to Charles I. ; then to the City and Corporation of London,
from Whom the estate was purchased by the Corporation of
Liverpool ; and he did not know of any property that was
based upon a better foundation ; and if the House of Com-
mons attempted to disturb it, certainly no property in the
kingdom would be safe. The town dues this year amounted
to about £21.1,000 ; and the question was a most important
one, and should, in the event of his being returned, have his
best attention • but he must go, if he did go, into the Council
enfettered andunpledged, except faithfully to discharge his
duty as a financial and progressive reformer. (Cheers.)
Mr. JEFFERY also addressed the meeting ; and resolutions
pledging those present to support Mr. Wylie were moved and
seconded by Mr. C. T. Bowring, Mr. Andrew Bathgate, Mr.
Daniel Baugh, and Mr. Anthony Lillyman. A committee
was also formed ; and, after the usual thanks to the chair-
man, the proceedings terminatwi.

COMMERCIAL dr MONETARY NEWS,

MONDAY NIGHT,

THE Funds have exhibited a slightly downward
tendency during the week, which may, perhaps,
be attributed to the absence of any favourable
news from the seat of war in the Crimea ; but the
easiness in the Money Market has had a favourable
effect, and towards the close a reaction was obe
servable. The returns of the Bank of England
present some changes worthy of notice, there
being an increase of bullion to the extent of
£501,373, in the face of a decrease in public de-
posits of £661,335, arising from the payment of
the dividends. The Morning Herald of Saturday
argues upon this return as being unsatisfactory,
but few mercantile men will sympathise with its
remarks. It will be observed that there is an
increase of private deposits to the extent of
£4,86,303, and a decrease of other securities to the
extent of £373,999 ; both favourable indications
of money being more at command, while the in-
•crease of bullion set against the diminution of
public deposits also shows a more satisfactory state
of the Money Market ; and that this is the general
impression, was evident in the rise of the Funds
after the publication of the account.
The statement of the affairs of Mr. EDWARD
OLIVER, which has just been published, shows, as
we ventured to predict, that the prospects of the
creditors are not so unfavourable as were repre-
sented. Time is required in order to realise the
very large amount of assets ; and, if the trustees
act with judgment, and no adverse circumstances
should occur to depreciate this description of pro-
perty, it is not improbable that the claims on the
estate may eventually be paid in full. At any
rate, it is evident that no ground exists for those
statements of ruinous loss which were so indus.
triously circulated, and the inference that the
mercantile interests of Liverpool were involved in
reckless speculation.
In the Cotton manufacturing districts business
has been dull, but not to any extent to create
despondency. Holders have not been inclined to
press sales, and prices have been fairly maintained.
In the Woollen trade there are the same dull
accounts of diminution of production by the stop-
page of mills, and the want of remunerative prices,
notwithstanding which the raw material maintains
its value. The Hosiery trade is also very inactive.
The recent -rise in the price of Corn has set at
defiance all the promises of the Free Trade advo-
cates, and left many to draw the practical inference
that the new system is not that unmixed good
which it was predicted it would prove. Bread is
now at as -high .a price as it was during the time
, of the greatest scarcity, and general dissatisfaction
prevails. Just two months have elapsed since the
leading journal was sounding the note of triumph
because Wheat had 'fallen 20s. a quarter, and now
it has recovered all the decline. Advantage seems
to have been taken of -the absence of importations
for the home growers-to hold, and the consumers
are consequently at .the mercy of speculators, who
are now reaping their harvest.
_

Our Siriki E MARKET has been idle this week,
and prices have drooped each day until. Saturday.
On that day a-slight scarcity of stock was manifest,
for the approaching settlement and contangoes
ruled generally lighter, in consequence of which
there was greater firmness, and prices advanced one
per cent., Dovers, 'Leeds, and Midlands being
principally in demand.. The late fire and its effects
upon the insurance companies has engrossed a good
deal of attention. It is said that the loss to our
local companies, deducting salvage, will be about
£lB,OOO to £20,000 to the Liverpool and London ;
£12,000t0 the Royal; .and £ll,OOO to the Lanca-
shire. It is•expected that these heavy and unlooked-
for losses will cause the attention of the directors of
the several eompanies to be given to their rates
of premium. The present tariff was adopted
under the impression that the increased supply of
water and :the " fire-proof " warehouses would do
away altogether with these large fires. This ex-
pectation • hating proved a vain one, the directors
will no doubt reconsider the rates, with a view to
their being raises as a better opportunity than
the present may not offer. The settlement in pro-
gress this day is -a very light one ; contangoes are
easier, and the market altogether has a more
buoyant tone about it than for some days past.
We annex prices:—Caledonians, 294 4c lc 30 291 c
30* 1 ; East Lancashire, 17 3-16; Lancashire
and Yorkshire, 72i 4 Sheffield Stock,
231 ; Midland Stock,69l It s ; North British,
8 9-16 ; South Eastern, 18.13-16 113-16 8 ; Great
.Northern 5 per cent. pref., 131; Lancashire In-
surance, 3-16 p. •
Pump-um—The markets on the whole have
presented a better 'feeling during the week,.and a
fair amount of business has been transacted. To-
DAY there has been an improved demand for
Sugar, and rather higher prices paid, particularly
for grocery West India.; the transactions, in-
cluding Saturday's business, comprise 70 hhds.
Barbadoes at 30s. to 345., 30 ads. Jamaica at
305., 150 brls. Antigua at 335. 6d. to 345., 40
hhds. 60 brls. Porto Rico at 325. to 365. 6d., 550
bags Dates at 345. 6d., and 7,000 mats Mauritius
at 275. 6d. to 30s. 6d. per ,ewt. Molasses have
also been in better request, .100 puns. Antigua
having realized 15s. 6d. from the quay, being a
further advance of 6d. per cwt. A small parcel of
Jamaica Rum has brought extreme priceS. There
are no sales, to notice in Coffee; 30 bags grey
Trinidad Cocoa are reported at 365. per cwt. The
market for common Tea, since the delivery of the
letters from China, has not been quite so firm ;
the Vision has commenced discharging, but as
yet no sales • have transpired. Rice is only in
moderate demand, and the sales are tonfmed to
250 bags Bengal at 16s. per cwt. We have also
to report 2,400 bags Nigerseed, at 475. per quarter
for sound, 20 tons E. India Redwood at £7 75.. 6d.,
10 tons St. Domingo Logwood, all faults, at £6 ss.
per ton, and 20 chests East India Gum Arabic at
19s. to 28s. per cwt.
COTTON.—This market has been characterised
by dulness, arising from the uncertainty which
prevails as to the effects of the war and the recent
large advance in the Corn market, but the amount
of business done has been nearly an average. The
sales for the week up to Friday amounted to
40,030 bales, of which 2,670 were.taken on specu-
lation and 4,200 for export, leaving 33,160 for the
trade. To-DAY the sales reached 8,000 bales, in-
cluding 1,000 taken on speculation and 1,500 for
export, and the market closed steadily without
alteration in value, the turn being rather in favour
of the seller. The following is a comparison of
present rates with those of the corresponding
period of last year :

New Orleans, middling.

Uplan

1853,
Std.

METALS,—We have very little change to report
in the Metal market, which continues quiet,
although prices generally keep firm, Manufac-
tured Iron is without change in price, but pig
Iron has fallen to SOs. 6d. for store warrants; for
shipping better prices in proportion are obtaine4,
sad the shipments keep large, Copper §teadx iu

demand, and Tin in improvea demand since the
last advance in price]

WooL.—During the past week there has been,
if anything, a rather better feeling in our Wool
market, but prices have undergone no change. It
is, however, believed that the fall of Sebastopol,
and in the price of corn, would lead to a great im-
provement in demand and price. The imports for
the week are 724 bales. They consist of 330 bales
East India, 145 bales Mediterranean, 28 bales
Buenos Ayres, 189 bags Scotch, 17 bags Irish,
15 bags coastwise.