The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-12

Tn thsspripg Of the year Meltons Of light fabric had
a GOOD demand and much business was done in
heavy goods such as beavers and witneys. An in
creasipg demand Is also noticeable as taking place
In uni cloths aud cotton warps, an Important fea-
tnre in this branch Of trade, developing itself to
large extent viz: the aCmixsure Of cotton in wool
len manufactures
In that modification Of the wool trade, the vorsted.
there have been large dealings q, very remunerave
prices. In January there was considerable buoy
ancy Observable, especially in the home consuming
branches, Bradford goods becoming more sought
for. Consumption shortly after advanced, indeed,
excessively, but became eventually checked by the
prospects Of war and the deficient harvest. Begin
ming In September, affairs became worse and worse,
and fluctuations have taken place FROM ten to If
teen per cent in a downward direction which had
previously advanced as much the other way.
During the year unprecedented amount OF
speculation took place in the iron market Pig iron
underwent great fluctuations At the end Of 1852,
owing to the enormous trading Ia the metal, il had
advanced to 75s. cash bat before the end of Febru
airy there had been decline Of 20s. per ten. Con-
fidencc restored in the end Of April prices hav
ing recsded as low As 50s and rise took place 10
COS, by the middle Of August The advance in the
rate OF discount at the Bank caused again Q retro
grade movement TO G2s. 3D., advancing to sos. on
the reduction in the French duties on the article.
The enormous consumption Of iron can be easily
conceived from mere glance Mt the number OF iron
vessels on the stocks at the Clyde. These amount
70 ninety ssyen, while seventy nine vessels of this
material were launched frsm the above named river
during the last twelve months. We may observe
that there l5l 800 tons exported TO the United
States in 1858, compared with loo, 100 tons In
1852 The wood trade deserves passing notice BY
the side OF iron, affected as the other metal 10 so
greatly by the construction OF vessels OF all dcacrip
tons. The Importation dependent upon the con.
sumption, both by the colonies and the United
Kinedom-is supposed to be the largest on record.
In 1858 there we're imported OF colonial loads $780,
goo as compared with ,156, 65l leads In 1861 and
of foreign loads loo 900, against S9l 643 In 1852
The general result Of the extended demand has been
il supposed fav orable alike to producer shipper,
shipowner, importer and dealer, notwithstanding
that late cargoes have been subject to advances in
freight amounting to fifty or even one hundred per
cent 1t is noticed that the increased price OF wood
especially noticeable in wood employed Tor ship
building purposes, has not, however, given any
check to building. The consuopt on in London, for
example, shows on increased figure in deals aud
battans of 300 600 pieces over 1857 and In timber
Of 40, 600 loads, Sweden and Norway still supplying
about moety of the entire foreign stock, We have
said that the incre in the cOnsu npton OF both
wood and iron has been owing in great measure to
the impetus given to the trade by the constantly
augmenting number of ships on the stocks We
may, while sudng to the prosperity in shipping in
stance the number OF arrivals and departures, both
of foreign and British shipping. This number rises
unremitnngly, due, 10 most part, doubtless, 70 the
effect OF free trade the traffic in grain. For the
year Just ended there Is an increase OF fourteen per
cent in entrances, large augmentation being also
seen in departures. The entrances of British ships
in 1858 we're AL l59 against AL 225 in 1882 and OF
foreign vessels somewhat more than half these num-
bers In the cOasng trade there is also observable
an increase, averaging for the year about two per
cent.
Perhaps scarcely anything imported has been
specu'ased in so Largely as tallow. Tie dealings
have been mmense but operations passed Oh better
it is believed, than on any other OCCASION St.
Petersburg Y. c., which was twelve montas back
n Ia ,yt uha NJ. in
this article due to the varying aspec! of Russian po
ltics. was owing il some measure TO the repeal OF
the soap duties This enactment caused large ad-
yances in all materials coDuecled with the manu-
facure of soap, cocoanut aud lnseed oils together
with all kinds OF grease, being at much higher
figures The trade in oils, indeed, is carried on
at very unusual rates, and notwithstanding the en-
HANGED value Of money, traders DO rot fear any de
cline owing to the prospects OF increased activity IN
tbs nanufac turing districts. Lnseed cake again Is
low at higher price than it has t,uched for seven
years. Olive oil has now reached such prices that
consumption has received material check, Galli-
poll oil marking, for instance, f63 the ton.
The increasing prosperity OF she manufacturing
districts affects materially also the value OF leather,
This trade has bsen most favoraby placed during
1853. The alterations III the value Of leather and
hides have been more than usually extended. The
advance in prices persistent through $751; continued
TIL September when prices were checked by the al
ttraiors in the vaue. OF money and the superabun-
dance Of 81 ipping to Australia. The check gwen to
tue trade was however, but of o TEN porsry charac
ter The export trade to yourselves is observed not
u have been so large, fact accounted for by the
import duties and the general rise III prices.
5al'petre has likewise been much affe cted by the
threatening aspect # politics II is now in consider
able demand varying according to it's retroactive in
dex about 31s per cwt., the stock hand being st
TIE present time 900 tons less than at the CORES
padding period OF last year.
Among other substances of large importation we
may specify coffee. Holders show much disinclDa-
ton 70 accept present rates, from there being DEN
CLERGY in stock in Europe to the amount OF $4,000
tons as against last year from the consumption being
greater than has ever been known at any former
period, and owing to the existence OF dealcaton OF
25 per cent in the importation from s large places
of production ! shall conclude this glance at the
commercial year by reve wing the aspects OF sugar,
tea corn, wine and coal in my next w. Il Al.