The leader., 1898-03-02
puN,s COMMERCIAL REVIEW.
Foreign Possibilities Affecting Speculation
industrial Production Larger - No
FIighty Advance In Any Line. hut In All
Narrowness of Profit n Matter of Com
Dlaint-The Failures.

Foreign Possibilities Ahccting specuiatioh
industrial Production Larger - No
FIighty Advance In Any Line. but In All
Narrowness OF Profit Matter of Com
plaint-The Failures.
NEW YORK, Feb. OR. q. Dun "
Co. S review of trade, issued yesterday,
says:
Foreign possibilities have affected
speculation and caus ed hesitation in
some large operations, possibly ae-
counting. in part, for a check in the
rapid advance of wheat, but industrial
production continues larger than ever,
a few more works being added to the
active list, with decrease in the num-
Der of hands on strike and renewed
evidence that the volume of business is
larger than in February of any pre-
vious year. Nor is there any symptom
of senseless craze based on rising
prices The legitimate export and do
nestle demands press closer to the
capacity of works, and though there
is no tightly advance in any line, and
in all narrowness of profit is matter
of complaint, new business for this
Wheat continued it's progress upward
until Sl.Os4 was reached on Monday,
but declined 3Lc later, as if there were
fears that Spain would somehow stop
British vessels from taking wheat
across the WI alter. Any yielding based
on foreign possibilities deserves little
notice, but the price has advanced
tors last took occasion to shake Oft
weak followers, and the opportunity for
reaction was inviting. There is no
abating of foreign demand. Atlantic
exports were l,965,sl4 bushels, flour
included, for the week, against
/. 226. Al last year and Paclf1c
exports 1,576,376, against l36,464 last
year and in view of current excitement,
these figures are more important than
the aggregate for four weeks, 10, 496,9l2
bushels, against 6,5sS,41S last year
from Atlantic ports, ard 4,053,02s,
against 1.611,246 from Tactic ports.
Corn exports for the week were 14.5
per cent. less than last year, but the
cash price declined but slightly. The
spot price of cotton was not affected.
1t is not the season for much improve
ment in textile manufacture, but
cotton has gained by the closing of the
strike IN one Fall River mill and by
the addition of some works at the
south
The wooden manufacture meets
many cancellations. especially in goods
~, dol mi 10 htlf *
doing more than ever at this season.
though new business in the higher
grades of worsteds and woolens is not
particularly encouraging. Sales of wool
are slow, with weakness in clothing,
amounting to about two cents decline
from the highest point, indicating that
mills have at present abundant stocks,
but some are selling foreign wool in
order to take supplies of other quail
ties. In goods of medium and low
grades the demand continues large.
The silk manufacture shows re-
markable increase during the last six
months, having imported raw material
far in excess of consumption in any
previous year and at rate 100 per
CShJ. dboNS tilC IN pol 70 III OiiO Iuot WI
sus year.
The iron manufacture has more de-
mand for products and slightly better
prices for Bessemer pig, which has adj
vanced to S1040 at Pittsburgh, with
gray forge unchanged there, local coke
strong at Chicago in spite of some
southern weakness. and eastern an
thracite really unchanged, though
quotations are "a shade lower. No fin
ished products have changed in price
and all are strong in demand, except
ing bar, which combination has
failed to advance. Some large con-
tracts are reported, especially in car
and bridge building, ship and struc-
tural work, and the demand for sheets
is heavy. Minor metals change but
little, tin weakening a shade to IA
cents, with large receipts.
Failures for the week have been 233
in the United States, against 200 last
year. and 80 in Canada, against 80 last