The Manchester Examiner. — 1848-03-25 (Manchester, Greater Manchester, England)

MANCHESTER, FRIDAY, MARCH 24.  We are unable to report the slightest improvement in this market. Seldom has there been known so general a suspension of business as that which we now experience. There is some little inquiry for T cloths and madda.pollams, but almost all other descriptions are neglected. The accounts from India, which must be considered unfavourable, tend to increase the general depression. Prices in the present state of the market are little else than nominal. Short-time working is now rapidly on the increase. In addition to several establishments in this district which have commenced or signified their intention to resume short time, we understand that the extensive concerns belonging to Messrs. Birley, of this city, reduced their time of working on Thursday last to four and a-half days in the week.  The first signs of improvement which we look for in this market will probably come from Germany, where confidence is likely to be restored in a comparatively short period. We shall also soon be receiving many cargoes of cotton originally destined for France, which will tend materially to aug ment our supplies, and keep prices low. In another page will be found the monthly trade circulars, just issued by Messrs. Fraser and Co. and Messrs. Gibson, Ord and Co. of this city.  The following commercial intelligence relating to the continent is taken from the Times of yesterday and to-day:—  The advices from Havre to-day at e disastrous. No less than eight houses bad failed, and others were certain immediately to follow. Most of them have property and goods in their hands, together with portfolios full of bills, all, however, inconvertible in the present state of universal fear. Not a single banking-house is doing any business, those who have avoided stoppage being equally impotent as far as any power of assisting commerce is concerned, with those which have fallen. Amongst the principal suspensions announced in the present letters are— Quertier and Godefroy, Lamoisse P. Devot and Company, %Vidow, Melun, and Company, E. de Pierre, and Courant and Co. From Neufchatel we have intelligence of the failure of F Ferret and Sons, an influential banking firm, followed by the suicide of the acting partner. 'the people of Neufchatel, it is said, will suffer most severely from the failure of the French bankers; with whom they have been in the habit of leaving large deposits." Letters from Paris mention the failure of A. Bourget and Co. discount bankers. It is also stated that the parties interested in the bank of Boudor and Co. have had a meeting, at, which it has been agreed that their establishment shall liquidate under the inspection of five commissioners, two to be named by the shareholders, and three by the creditors. The subscriptions for the discount bank proposed to be established at Marseilles amount to 652,000 f. The remainder of the 1,000,000 f. required to start it would, it was expected, be subscribed at the final meeting.— Times of yesterday.  The commercial letters Trout Vienn'a .r.each tO" the 17th inst. and are of the most gratifying description. Hungary has been granted a ministry of her own, and hence all cause of danger as regard 3 that portion of the empire would seem to be removed. Ihe whole country is said to be in a state of grateful enthusiasm, and the steady confidence and practical good sense of the people have been shown to a remarkable extent in the uninterrupted fulfilment of their mercantile and monetary obligations. All payments, it is said, are made most punctually, and the privilege to defer them for fourteen days, which we mentioned on Tuesday last as having been granted, has not in any way been resorted to. At the date of these advices the city was perfectly tranquil; business generally had recommenced; the bank, which had never for a moment ceased its payments or dTcounts, was carrying on its usual operations; and the public funds were actually higher than before the insurrection, the Five per Cents, which on the 10th of March were 85, being now quoted at 87: As regards the produce market, it is mentioned that an improved demand had sprung up for the lower descriptions of wools, founded on the supply which would be required for clothing the 50,000 National Guards now in process of organisation. From all other parts of Germany the private advices show, for the most part, the same feeling of satisfaction and confidence. From Paris the letters seem to denote that the state of imbecile fear in which the moneyed classes are plunged is becoming, if possible, every hour deeper and more hopeless. No failures are specifically mentioned, because it is now almost impracticable to make any distinction. From Marseilles we have the stoppage of the mercantile house of Chataud, Sons, and Desages.—Times of today.  We take the following from the Standard of this evening  In order to shoat the fallacy of the report circulated last week, that the firm of Rothschild in Paris had suspended payment, it is stated in the monetary circles this morning that the house in the city was are ready to discount all their acceptances, whatever period they may have to ran, at the rate of 3f per cent per annum. We well recollect the effect which was produced by the firm of Baring Brothers adopting this plan during the American crash in 1836-7; and it is to be hoped that the measure alluded to will have a similar influence, as far as it goes, in restoring commercial confidence.