The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-07-09
London Letter.
Irregular Correspondence

LONDON, June 90, 1881.
a week of cold, stormy weather has followed
one Of drought and high temperature Heavy
rains in the south and storms OF hail and snow
IN the north have characterized the early part
of the past week, and later on the sky has
been for the most part overcast and the nights
have been very cold. The latter circumstance
has rendered the progress of vegetation slower
than It would otherwise have been, under the
circumstances, but the spring.sown gram
crops are in materially better position than
they were week ago. The lower tempera.
tuye has been decidedly favorable to all the
crops, except wheat, as tending to prolong the
the one thing now to be feared. The wheats
continue to look strong and healthy and IN
some districts are coming freely into ear. Har-
vest prospects for pulse crops are very uncer-
tain, and as they now stand decidedly hazard.
Gus. The supplies Of native wheat to London
and to nearly all the prominent exchanges
have been very small and prices have ad.
vanced 24c per or. in some Of the more i'm.
portant markets; in Mark Lane, however, no
improvement has been effected IN values, al
though the inquiry has been of rather more
healthy description. Flour has been rather
an easier sale, but rates are unaltered.
The trade for foreign breadstutfs has been
rather more active toward the close of the past
stocks at the rates current during the previous
week. The moderate arrivals off coast and
the better disposition to buy on the part Of the
millers has improved the tone of the wheat
market, but any attempts to enhance rates
have met with signal failure off stands at
Mark Lane.
In the United States lea II the movement
to the seaboard has now become more rapid,
because no longer impedei during transit.
The shipments of grain down the Mississippi,
by means of barges IN tow, has continued to
increase IN a remarkable manner; on the 14th
of last month tow representing a freight Of
| 4 900 tons of wheat and and maze was sent
from st. Louis to New Orleans To move this
quantity by rall would take two months,
whereas the water route will not occupy more
than six days, and at a very much smaller cost.
Other flows" are in the course Of preparation
on an equally large scale, and this reduction
in the cost of freightage will surely tell on
European markets during the next cereal year,
In Minneapolis monster mill Is being pro
jected that will turn out 100000 barrels of
flour per year, which is equal to 5l5 barrels
per minute Of the working time. The con-
struction OF the mill is SAID to be certainty,
In France there have been severe storms,
which have lodged the wheat in the southern
departments. Markets have been inactive so
far as the consumptive demand Is concerned !;
but prices generally have been maintained.
Speculations, however, have been inactive.
In Germany crop prospects are generally
good, and grain markets have been dull.
In South Russia there is a prospect Of 4
good harvest and grain markets are quiet
The arrivals of livestock and fresh meat
from the United States and Canada, landed at
Liverpool last week, show marked decrease,
there being one.half the number of steamers
arrived which convey livestock and fresh
meat, making total of 1903 cattle 1878
5,s1S quarters of beet, 53l carcases Of mutton,
and 80 dead hogs.