, 1881-01-08
London Letter.
60 rarmers- European lsrt.
caitural News nenls.


Regular Correspondence
LoNDoS, ENGLAND, Dec. 10th, 1880
With frosts at the early part of las
week, and heavy rains and unsettled
weather toward its close, there has been
but little progress made with wheat SOW.
ING In the late districts, whilst frOsts alter
mating with rains keep the lands in very
wet condition. There has been a rather
more liberal offering of homegrown SAM
pies in the London market during the
week, but there Is no Improvement to
note in respect TO condition. At Mark
Lane, on Monday, tine value Il dry sam
Piles of English wheets Was generally Is
in advance of the Quotations OF the pre-
vious week, In sympathy with the some
what excited tone If the foreign trade
There was. however, no Improvement IN
the demand for inferior samples. On
Wednesday, the demand for breadstuhs
was of quite nominal character, and
FRIDAYS market closed dull, both for
wheat and -four. In most of the provin-
cial exchanges values for breadstuffs have
improved, but the market has closed with
signs of weakness throughout the trade
The trade in foreign breadstutfs has IN
deraene a considerable Illustration during
the past week. Or Monday, there was
some little excitement on account of the
closing q: tie ,anal traiic i'll the United
States by Ice, locking up some lo,OU0, 900
bushels OF wheat The values Of floating
cargoes were enhanced Is, to IS. pr,
according To their position, and the tone
of the United States markets te.ided to
disnrganize the market here. On
Tuesday and Wednesday the arrivals Of
wheat laden vessels off coast, together
with the invisible supply of wheat IL the
United States. caused reaction in the
cargo trade, and from that time down to
the close Of the week, the position of
holders has been slowly but surely weak
ening, and the cable adyi"es Of lower
rates at the Atlantic seabOard have caused
the trade t. close dull, and decidedly in
favor Of buyers.
In Germany the whole OF the grain
trade has been fuctuating during the
week, and AT Berlin wheat has recovered
a depression which WAS attributed to spec
ula.iye transactions, At Hamburger
rates for breadstufs were 6,mly supported
and barley vas III better demand. At
Sterling barey has met with a dnlier
trade In France, the course Of the
gram trade las been much in accord
ance with that on the English exchanges.
wheat and -four have been firmly held at
advanced rates during the early portions
of the week, whist values showed de-
cline, and the trade WAS decidedly weak
at the close
The Great Eastern steamship has been
chartered for ten years for the pnr-
pose OF carrying meat to the United
Kingdom from American seaboard or the
River Platte 1t is calculated that from
Texas or the A.eniine provinces, beef OF
prime quality can be laid down in Eng
land at three cents per pound. The pro-
moters uf this bold scheme intend TO
slaughter the cattle on board the great
ship, and for this purpose have secured
the services of trained butchers from the
slaughter honses of Chicago. The dress
ed meat will be stored in refrigerators
and it is estimated that 10000 to -, 600
carcases # beef, all hing, equal to 5000
or 900 tons Of meat viii be shipped each
voyage. The result Of this enterprise,
will have far wider bearing than appears
at first sight IL will he watched with
much interest by the entire public, no
doubt, for notwithstanding the large I'M
ports Of fresh meat We are receiving, re-
tail prizes still rule very high But it
will also break down that ''ring, which,
Will. renaying immense profits, keeps al
most at famine prices one Of the FIRST food
requisites Of the people