The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-21
FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
SUNDAY, Feb, 2O--6 p, NJ,

NJ.
The week has been rather quiet in commercial circles.
There have been fewer arrivals from than usual in
consequence Of the prevalence of unfavorabe Winds and
the import entries less than they last week.
The consumptve demand for foreign merchandise, how
ever, continues TO afford fair profit to the importer and
the market looks though very slight provocation
might give 10 fresh movement in prices. Sugars
steady, with fair demand the stock hand Is set
down at O. $50 hhds. and 100 boxes Teas selling
fairly Of the black varieties arc beginning pay
profit The prospect, according to the latest from
China is very favorable to the market many importers
are holding for higher prices Coces continue to sell
at last quotations, which, in most cases, leave a
fair profit to the importer Scotch iron Is very
firm. For hides and leather the demand has
been good the stock of bemock is estimated
at 90 300, of oak 1900. Wool continues be moderately
active the sales which reported q. full prices
Spices selling we'll In general all the articles of ge-
neral merchandise imported into New York since New
Year have done well The import Of dry goods has been
smaller than usua in consequence of the long passages
which all the vessels from Europe are making but the
trade the less active. The number of Southern
and Southwestern merchants the hotels is consdera
bly, OF the usual average and though the West
is still almost unrepresented the South so rich that the
jobbes ordering and purchasing with almost as much
boldress as in 1857 demand has lately arisen for Ame
rcan cotton goods for China, which, superadded TO the
already large orders given TO the spners has stimulated
activity at the mills such they seldom, If ever
knew before is to be hoped that the operations Of The
obbers may not prove excessive and that all parties may
be able to live comfortably through the reaction which
cannot fail 10 follow The present excitement
Turning from our import to export trade, striking
contrast presents itself Almost without exception,
imports of foreign merchandise paying the importer
profit with almost the uniformity our exports are
netting the exporter oss probable that every barrel
Of -four and every bale of which has been shipped
to Europe during the past three four months has been
sold at loss. We gave account recently OF the specu
ative movement which, originating at the West spread
to the seahosrd and caused rise Of something ess
dollar the barrel Of -four Holders still continue to
maintain prices We note slight movements and reactions
from day to day but in the main, breadstus have not
varied in price since last week The hope of the specn
lators res1 apparently upon accounts Of unfsvorable
weather in parts of the grain growing country Cotton
opened last week with dull and declining tendency
and though transactions were limited there seemed
N the middle Of the week 10 be n fair prospect
that holders would make concessions which would enable
cotton to be shipped without certainty of loss But the
news by the Prince Albert Of revival of speculation in
the Liverpool market and an advance OF a lilo in the
price, again encouraged the hopes q holders and the de-
cline was recovered Cotton must be quoted at the
prices current week since though very Inactive The
receipts at the ports last week 1853 900 bales against
l24 600 last year. and 80 600 the year before making the
total receipt to date 2,625,ooo bales against eo 900
bales to same date in 1853 Our total export to date has
been s46 900 bales agans $50 900 same date in 1853
and 1913 600 in 1851 The crop estimates are becoming
more liberal II is pretty evident that the crop will ex
coed $4,000 bales and authorities think IL will 20
high 100000 The stock Of cotton in the inferior
cities Ct the South is very large.
The following are the Custom House tables Of the trade
Of the port for the past week