New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-12

manv parties to imagine that we shall have further re-
duced rates.
In addition 10 this. other lower-priced escuient'
appear 10 lie abundant, for from the same authority
we learn that. "very large quantities of potatoes
:. and which are doubtless interfering with better
. Kind. Of food-continue to arrive in our markets.
..In England tie root is keeping remarkably well,
and tie supplies on sale are in excellent cOnd-
.tioD In Ireland and Scotland, too, our au-
tborty further adds the grain trade has been ex-
- ceedinplv heavy. and the value on all articles has
.. had downward tendency.
Knowing that the four-speculators of this city
had purchased and contracted heavily, thinking
70 derive full benefit from the expected advance and
knowing further that many ofthese same dealers are
at this time paying at the rate of two to two and
a half per cent per annum for the use OF money
invested in merchandise which has deprecated
twenty per cent in value still further depreciation
being also ineyitable--we yesterday set on foot
some Investigations among the trade in order to
learn what view they take OF their prospects, and
70 CLEAN what information they were willing TO
afford. Our reporter found the dealers in grain
very much at their leisure, and sufficiently
communicative. The recent heavy snOw-storm has
mt an almost entire stop to the transport OF heavy
merchandise through the city aud the sales of -four
for the last few days have been but nominal These
depressing circumstances however, do not appear
to damp their hopes. 1--WE are bound to have
rise" they are nearly unanimous in declaring.
They represent that internal navigation being
now closed. the receipts Of flour will be greatly
reduced for the next four months, the only chan
nels remaining open to us being the Southern ports
which communicate with us by sea, and the rail-
roads: further, that the high prices realized for
wheat in the Fall tempted farmers to SELL and that
at this fine there is actually less wheat remaining
untbrashed in the country than there was year
ago They cling with great fondness to the re-
ported deficiency in France, and ask where are the
twenty or thirty millions of bushels of wheat to
come from to feed her half-famshed population, If
not from here. The financial embsrrassments OF
the Allies they contend, have alone had the effect
| of checking purchases of grain in this country and
now that the difficulty slowly adjusting itself the
Anticipated demand will yet be felt, and we shall
have high prices before long.
Having thus heard the arguments on that side
we next inquired of the bakers as to what they had
to urge on the opposite. 1t appears that they
have been equally misled in their anticipatlons.
Having retained lively remembrance of the state
of the -four market last Winter, when every sue
cessive weekly purchase was effected at repeated
advance of half dollar per barrel, the large ma
orit, were induced to lay in Winter stock in
order to be secured against repetition of the ex-
perience of last season. But their Judgment has
egreeousy betrayed them. Those who purchased
in the month of November last, good bakers
mixture-for bakers seldom work one brand alone
bought at an average cost of so 90 per barrel.
Had they delayed their purchases till the present
time, they could have obtained the same brands at
from ten to twelve shillings per barrel less. I'm
fortunately, the public has to suffer for this mis-
take, for beyond all dispute, the baker must live
by his lal or, and the price the consumer is now
paving for his bread includes the living profit OF
the retailer added to the cost price of the article;
and any further depreciation will but slightly
benefit the community until the stock now in the
cellars Of the bakers shall be consumed and fresh
purchases made at current rates.