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during the last week were very considerable; the sugars, strong and fine quality, obtained rather higher prices; the inferior, 55s. to 57s. were much pressed upon the market, and were purchased on lower

terms.

There is not so much business doing in sugars this forenoon; the prices are without the slightest variation.

By public sale this forenoon, 111 hhds. 9 tierces Barbadoes sugar went off with great briskness at 1s. advance, 57s. to 67s. 6d.

In the refined there was much heaviness in the parcels for shipping, on account of the season for export being so far advanced; there was, however, little variation in the prices. Molasses were 26s. 6d.

In Foreign sugars no purchases to any extent are lately reported."

Coffee. The market has, on the whole, been heavy for these four weeks, but the prices advanced about 28. on the second of November, which advance was maintained in the following week. St. Domingo, 59s. to 60s. Berbice middling, 96s. to 98s.; good middling, 106s.; good ordinary Jamaica, clean, 59s. 6d. Last week the market was heavy, but without diminution of the prices. Several extensive brokers withdrew their sales, on account of the languid demand, and the advanced season for export. The market is dull, but not lower than last week.

Spices. The only alteration since the East India sale on the 9th, (see retrospective view) is, that nutmegs bear a premium of 2d. to 3d. per lb.

Hemp, Flax, and Tallow. Tallow is

not so brisk; new yellow candle, 358. and 1823 at 348. 3d. to 34s. Gd.; for October and September shipments, 358.; in hemp or flax there is little alteration.

Silk. The prices of silk are a shade lower; the market is heavy at the decline. Oils.-Whale oil is very dull: Greenland, 241.; cod oil is scarce, and in consequence 261. has been obtained.

Rice. There continues to be a great inquiry for rice; Carolina, 33s. ; white Bengal, 14s. to 15s.

Wine. The purchases of wine last week, 200 pipes of port, 1820 and 1821, at about 371. per pipe; 140 pipes Cape, fair quality, 127. to 137.

Cocoa.-The Government contract renders the prices of cocoa nominal.

By public sale this forenoon, 78 casks Grenada cocoa, good quality, sold at 81s. to 83s.

Rum, Brandy, and Hollands.-The Government contract for rum, 100,000 gallons, has affected the prices and demand for Leewards; there are no parcels offering under 1s. 4d. Jamaica descriptions are also held with much firmness. The only alteration in brandy is that there are sellers of parcels at 2s. 9d. housed.-In Geneva there is no alteration.

POSTSCRIPT, Nov. 23. Cotton.-Above 12,000 bales have been sold this week, owing to the great animation of the Liverpool market, where 26,500 bales were sold from 13th to 20th Nov. at advanced prices. Spices of all kinds rising; especially Nutmegs, which are to day 4s. 6d. to 4s. Id. Tallow, 35s. 3d. Rum.-Government contract taken to day at 1s. 3d. per gallon.

RETROSPECT

OF THE COMMERCE OF GREAT BRITAIN

FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

(London, Nov. 1824.)

THE comparative stagnation of public business, following the close of the session of Parliament, will render our preliminary observations less copious perhaps than they otherwise might have been; and while the system adopted by the government for the regulation of the commerce of the kingdom continues to be uniformly pursued, we of course do not feel ourselves called upon to take up the time of our readers by restating the opinions which we have already explicitly given; though on the other hand, we gladly notice every fact, that seems to justify the favourable

expectations which we have always entertained of the result of the liberal policy adopted by his Majesty's ministers, and which naturally authorizes the inference that they will be induced to persevere in their laudable efforts to relieve commerce from the shackles which have so long restrained it, and which are entirely incompatible with the actual state of foreign countries, and the great advances which they have made towards rivalling the manufactures of Great Britain. One of the most satisfactory tests of the effects of the new system is the produce of the revenue,

and it is therefore satisfactory to find that the accounts for the quarter, ending October 10, exhibit an increase of 64,000l. beyond the corresponding quarter of the last year, notwithstanding the repeal of taxes. The revenues of the Post Office and Excise, both grand criteria of internal prosperity, have increased materially; the former 100,000. on the year's calculation, and the latter 270,000% for the quarter. Some other -countries have concluded, or are actually negociating, treaties with Great Britain on the principles laid down by the reciprocity bill. Among the latter is the Netherlands, the negociations with which kingdom are doubtless difficult in proportion to their im-portance. The government of the Netherlands, too, seems still to have some attachment to the prohibitory system, or we should rather say, there is a powerful party averse to the freedom of commerce, and which has had influence enough in the second chamber to oblige the government to bring forward a law, imposing heavy duties on the importation of grain of all descriptions, with a view to relieve the land-holders, who suffer by the great depression of agricultural produce. This having been conceded to the landed interest, it is not improbable that the manufacturing interest, which is very powerful in the south division of the kingdom, may be able to procure the continuance of commercial restrictions, notwithstanding the avowed wish of the King to remove them with regard to those nations which shall manifest a similar feeling towards the kingdom of the Netherlands. In expectation of the conclusion of a commercial treaty with Great Britain, the Dutch government has issued a provisional arrangement, placing British ships in certain cases on the same footing with those of the Netherlands.

With respect to the new American States, no further change has yet taken place. As far as can be judged from the statements of their own journals, they seem well satisfied with the manner in which Great Britain has acted; and it is thought by many persons, who at least ought to be as well informed as private individuals deeply interested in the question can be expected to be, that the British (and perhaps also the French) government would prefer deferring the recognition of the independence of any of the States till the decision of the struggle in Peru shall have shown whether Spain is likely to retain any part of her colonies, or whether she will irretrievably lose the whole; in which latter very probable case, a general acknowledgment of the independence of all those states might be made at once by the European Powers in concert, and even with the consent, however reluctant, of Spain itself, which after the expected withdrawing of the

French army of occupation from the Peninsula, will be too much occupied, as there is every reason to fear, in domestic dissensions to make any further attempt to recover its former possessions.

Sugar. The market reports from the end of May, and through the whole of June, noted the prices of sugar without any variation, and without tendency either to rise or fall, so that the fluctuations must have been transient and unimportant. At the close of the third week of June, it appeared that there had been an improvement in the refined market; above 1000 hogsheads of crushed sugars, chiefly from the Mediterranean, had been purchased, and lumps for the Hamburg market being in demand and scarce, were not to be had at less than 76s. The very extensive arrivals at the end of June, of course, tended to depress the market, but not so much as had been anticipated, because the samples from the Docks were not so large as might have been expected. At a public sale on the 29th, 200 hhds. of Barbadoes sold at full prices, viz. 578. to 66s. 6d. ; 237 hbds. St. Lucia, sold 1s. per cwt. lower, and indeed, all low sugars had experienced the same reduction. Through the month of July we do not find any fluctuations of consequence; the buyers having held back in expectation that the extensive arrivals, and the good show of new Muscovades would materially depress the prices, while the sellers were not disposed to submit to any further reduction, and at the close of the month there was even a small improvement, especially in the refined mar ket; for several weeks the deliveries from the West India warehouses were very extensive, viz. almost 10,000 hhds. in the fortnight, ending Aug. 3 (on which day, 2,000 hhds. were sold), and on the following week, no less than 7000 hhds, and 7000 hhds. more in four days of the following week; partly because the season was come for the wholesale grocers to lay in their stock, partly because the low prices tempted buyers, and partly because an alarm was created by exaggerated accounts of an insurrection, said to have broken out in Jamaica. All this of course led to an increase in the prices, which though not very considerable, probably prevented the business transacted from being much more extensive. The market report now began to note the prices as rising, with a tendency to advance; no great change however took place. In the last week of August and first week of September, the market was languid, and did not revive till the holders seemed disposed to give way a little in order to effect sales. On the 31st of Aug. there was a rather remarkable sale of 28,000 bags of Mauritius sugars, which sold much higher than had been anticipated, viz. 228. to 24s, for the brown and

1

yellow. The market reports begin on the 21st of September to note the prices as disposed to decline, but do not make any change in the quotations; and though the market has on the whole improved since the middle of October, it is not till the 9th of November that we find any advance stated, where the report quotes sugars as rising.

Coffee. The market was tolerably steady during the greater part of June, but declined in the last week of that month, and on the 29th was very heavy, on which day 270 casks of Jamaica, and 1168 of foreign were sold by public auction at a decline of 1s. to 2s. per cwt. viz. Jamaica, good ordinary, 578. to 58s.; fine ordinary, 60s. to 63s.; fine fine ditto, 65s.; low middling, 698. to 74s. ; middling, 76s. 6d. to 78s.; very ordinary and broken St. Domingo sold at 59s.; good taken in at 61s. Though the public sales through the month of July were very extensive, the market improved considerably; the finer and middling descriptions having advanced, and the foreign having experienced a much more extensive demand, though without any considerable rise in the prices. At the end of July there was a falling off; the prices after a partial decline, continued fluctuat ing, but on the whole, favourable during August, in the last week of which month, ordinary descriptions advanced from 2s. to 3s.; and the finer qualities from 4s. to 6s. per cwt. During the first three weeks of September the prices were on the whole maintained, only the Jamaica was brought forward in such large quantities that a small decline was naturally to be expected. The market during the remainder of September, and up to the 9th of November was reported heavy, but without any extraordinary variation in the prices; the ordinary Jamaica, however, after having been very much depressed, has begun again to sell pretty freely at full prices.

Cotton. The market was on the whole dull through the month of June, on the 25th of which month there was a sale at the India house, of which the following are the particulars ;-Surat, 2732 bales, 69 good, 64d.; 873, fair and good fair, 5d. to 6d; 1530, ordinary to middling, 5d. to 53d.; 260, damaged, 24d. to 5d.; Bengal, 1761 bales, 1750, fair, 5d.; middling, 54d. to 5d.; 11, damaged, 44d. to 5d.; Madras, 38, fair, 64d. to 61d.; Bourbon, 215, fine and crapley, 10 d. to 10d.; fleecy bright, 94d. to 10d.; ordinary and middling, 74d. to 93d. ;-Total 4646 bales. The fair and good fair Surats were principally disposed of for home consumption at the late currency; but those of ordinary and middling quality were all bought in for account of the proprietors. The Bengals, which belonged to the Company, and were taxed at 5d. per lb., sold with spirit,

but at a reduction of d. on the prices of the sale on the 21st. ult. The Bourbons were taken for the country at full rates.

In the months of July, August, and September, the business done was on the whole inconsiderable; in September especially it was trifling, with respect to East India descriptions in expectation of the sale on the 24th of that month at the India house of 16,000 bales, which proved very unfavourable. In the following month the market was still heavy, till about the close of the third week in October the inquiry revived, and in the last three weeks, ending the 16th of November, the demand has become very animated both in the London market, and at Liverpool and Glasgow, chiefly on account of information from America, announcing great damage to the cotton crop in south Carolina and Georgia, by rains and floods, for the particulars we refer to our report for this month. The arrivals at Liverpool in the last six months were 212,800 bags, the sales 280,700 bags.

Saltpetre and Spices.At the end of June there was a great demand for cinna mon of the best quality, for which 78. 4d. was asked, and also for pimento at 74d. to 8d. for good quality. Pepper was also in demand, and the saltpetre rose from 18s. 6di, to 20s. 6d. chiefly because the East India Company had not declared any sale. The market continued pretty much in the same state till the East India Company's sale on the 9th of August, the particulars of which are to be found in our number for September last. Pimento and nutmegs continued in demand at steady and even improving prices; and white pepper suddenly rose at the latter end of September, 18. per lb. from the loss of a vessel with a large quantity on board. the East India Company having none in their warehouses; the demand, however, soon relaxed, as well as that for nutmegs, which however remained steady at 3s. 6d. Pimento, in one instance, realised 94d. but this was an exception, the nearest price being 84d. From that time (the middle of October) very little alteration took place, in consequence of the East India Company's sale declared for the 9th of this month, of which the following are the particulars: Saltpetre, Company's, 21s. 6d. to 22s.; ditto licensed, 21s. to 23s.; pepper, black, licensed, 53d. to 5d. chiefly at the latter price; a few 4d.; cinnamon, 1st, 68. 7d. to 6s. 10d; ditto 2d, 58. 7d. to 5s. 8d.; ditto 3d, 4s. 7d.; ditto 4th, 2s. 4d. to 2s. 9d.; mace, 4s. 7d.; nutmegs, 3s. 1d. to 3s. 6d. ; cloves, 2s. 2d. to 3s.

Indigo. In our last general report, we stated the improvement in the prices of this article, which still continued, so that on the second of July, in two public auctions, 50 scrons of Guatimala were sold for 7s. 6d.

660

Commerce of Great Britain for the Last Six Months.

to 11s. 7d. per lb. chiefly from 9s. to 10s.;
62 scrons of Caracas, from 9s. 11d. to
At the
138. chiefly from 10s. to 11s.
Company's sale on the 13th of July, the
prices were 4d. 6d. and, in some instances,
even 9d. per lb. above the prices of the pre-
ceding sale. The prices of the sale were
fully maintained, though the demand was
Father more languid at the end of August.
On Tuesday, October 19, there was a sale
of 5000 chests at the India House, and as
there were only 10,000 chests in the ware-
houses, and but 4000 expected, till this
year's crop can come to market, it was an-
ticipated that the prices, particularly for
the good and fine would be fully main
tained, which was justified by the event,
for the shipping qualities sold from 6d. to
1s. per lb. and the consuming from 9d. to
18. 3d. per lb. higher than last sale. Madras
Indigo, none fine; the good middling went
about 6d. per lb. higher, and the ordinary
about 6d. per lb. lower. Oude Indigo sold
nearly the same as the July sale, excepting
the very low and bad, which were chiefly
bought in at somewhat reduced prices. The
proprietors took in about 1000 chests of the
Oude, and a small proportion of the ship
ping sorts of Indigo.

The Company had 1136 chests, which
being taxed low, were all sold, with the
exception of ten chests of ordinary.

The present prices are: fine blue and
violet, 13s. to 13s. 6d.; fine purple and
violet, 12s. to 12s. 9d.; good ditto, Ils. to
1ks. 9d.; fine and good violet and copper,
ks. to 11s. 6d.; middling, 10s. 6d. to
11s.; fine and good copper, 10s. 3d. to
13s.; fine Oude squares, 8s. to 98. 9d.;
good middling and middling ditto, 5s. to
78. Gd.; low and bad, 3s. to 4s.; con-
suming qualities, 9s. to 11s.; Madras good
middling, 98. to 10s.; ditto middling and
ordinary, 5s. to 83. 6d.

Hemp, Flax, and Tallow. During the
months of June and July, the tallow mar
ket was in a depressed state, and the de
mand very limited, though rather improved
at the end of July, when the prices were
as follows: new yellow candle tallow,
34s. 6d. ; old 33s. 6d. Tallow for August
and September shipments, 36s.; free on
board, 298. to 20s. 10d.; at these prices it
remained steady, and even improved in
consequence of the apprehensions that the
Greenland fishery would prove unfavour-
able. At the end of August the demand
here having slackened, and the prices at
St. Petersburgh fallen, a reduction of 6d.
to Is. per cwt. took place here, nor did the
news of an advance at St. Petersburgh,
received towards the middle of September,
produce any favourable effect here; the
market continuing to decline to the end of
that month, when the prices were: yellow
candle tallow of 1823, 34s. to 34s. 3d.;
new, 34s. Gd. to 348. 9d.; for August and

[Dec

September shipments, 348. 9d. We do
not find any improvement noticed till the
middle of October, which, however, was
again checked by accounts of large pur-
chases made in St. Petersburg, reported to
rather declined than otherwise, but this has
be for this market. The prices have since
had the effect of improving the demand-
The latest prices will be found in our usual
was at 351. 12s. 6d. for August and Sep-
monthly report. Hemp at the end of June
tember shipments, and at the end of July
2s. 6d. higher; and in the middle of Au-
gust it was at 361. 10s. It declined after-
wards to 361. 5. but it recovered, and at
the end of October, St. Petersburgh clean
371. 58.-In Flax there has been very little
hemp was at 371. 10s. and is now about.
variation. At the end of September, old
451. For some time very little was done,
St. Petersburgh twelve head flax was at
there being hardly any flax at market.
The prices of the newly arrived St. Peterse
burgh twelve head is from 45% to 50%.

Rum. Brandy, and Hollands.-At the
end of June and beginning of July, the
purchases for home consumption were very
inconsiderable, but large quantities of old
rum were taken for exportation; but as the
parcels offering for sale were very consider-
able, the increased demand had not led to
an augmentation in the prices, which even
declined a little when the demand subsided.
The accounts respecting the vintage in
France having continued unfavourable for
some time, a rise in the prices took place
here at the beginning of August, but not
The holders, however, were more firm, and
equal to the augmentation in France itself.
were not disposed to sell for arrival. For
some weeks but little was done in the mar-
ket: rum continued firm, but the buyers
tember an extensive failure caused an en-
held back; and in the second week of Sep-
other failures followed, which so much de-
tire suspension of business for some days;
pressed the trade, that even the unfavour-
raise the prices of brandy here as would
At the be-
able news of the vintage in France did not
otherwise have been the case.
could with difficulty be purchased at 2s. 7d.
ginning of October, however, brandy housed
and the good and fine qualities of rum, of
which the supply was deficient, maintained
their price, while the inferior were exceed-
ingly heavy and low. The demand for the
low Leewards however revived, and that
for the finer descriptions of Jamaica for
home consumption was considerable. In
were sold, chiefly strong Jamaica for home
the first week of November, 1200 puncheons
consumption. The produce of the vintage
in France will only be one-third of last
year; but though this fact is now ascer
tained, it has had but little effect on the
prices of brandy; the market is, however,
firm, and on the 9th instant, parcels housed

could not be had under 2s. 9d. In Geneva, few purchases have been reported, nor have there been any fluctuations worth noticing; the prices have, however, gradually advanced from 1s. 7d. to 1s. 11d. but at present there is none in the market.

Tea. At the India sale in the beginning of June the prices were rather lower than at the preceding sale; but in about a month afterwards, some kinds bore a premium, especially Pekoes, which were in great request, at an advance of 2d. per lb. At the September sale, Boheas and Congous sold rather higher, and Twankays rather cheaper. No alteration worth notice has since occurred.

Oils.-The uncertainty respecting the produce of the fishery naturally prevented any very considerable fluctuations. The prices at the beginning of July were for Greenland, 211. 10s., and Sperm 377. The number of vessels sent out has diminished of late years, being in 1822, 121 vessels; 1823, 115; 1824, 111. The first accounts of the Greenland fishery were received on the 26th, from Altona; they were unfavourable, but were not credited, and had little effect. Subsequent accounts, however, were not favourable, but then the season for fishing was not over; Greenland oil, therefore, was still at 227. and accounts were anxiously expected of the fishery in Davis' Straits, to which the greatest number of vessels was sent. No accounts were received till an unusually late period, so that it was feared the vessels had got inclosed in the ice. The accounts, however, by the first vessels in the first week of October being unfavourable, considerable speculations were made, and Greenland oil rose to 251. and by the third week in October to 271. 10s. and by the latter end of the month some holders even asked 301. But the ships from Davis' Straits having, contrary to the previous reports, arrived in general well fished, the prices have since declined, and Greenland has fallen to 247. the market being dull at that price.

THE FUNDS.

View of the Fluctuations of the principal Stocks, viz. Bank; 3 per Cent. Consols; and 4 per Cent. of 1822.

BANK STOCK. -June 28th, 2383.July 2d, 2374; 6th, 237; fluctuating about per cent. above or below 237 (reach ing however 238 on the 12th) till the 16th, when it was at 235. It did not again rise above 236 till the 28th, when it was at 2364, and on the 29th, 237; but it fell immediately to 236, and on August 10th

was again at 237. It did not exceed that price above, or fall below 237 till the 19th, when it was 236, 237. It did not afterwards reach 237, but with a tendency to decline, fluctuated between 236 and 235, till it closed, September 3d, at 235, 4; and no price is quoted till October 12th, when it was at 2374, ex div. On the 13th, 233, ex div. From that time to November 3d, it fluctuated, not rising above 2344, or falling below 233. The 6th and 8th it was at 232, 14, 1, 2; then to the 2d, bétween 2344, 2334; then on the 10th, 231, 2, which is the price on the 16th, 231 having been the lowest.

THREE PER CENT. CONSOLS.-June 1st, 93, shut from 2d to July 6th, when they opened at 934; they have since been very steady, without any great fluctuations: the 16th, 934; 20th, 923; 24th, 91}, which was the lowest, the price being generally above 92, not rising till August 5th to 93; the 7th, 94, 937. They continued above 93, and on September 4th reached 94. They did not again fall below. 93; reached 95 on the 20th; 95%, the 27; and continuing above 95 till October 13th, when they were at 963. They have since been generally above 96, declining only occasionally to 95 and a fraction; are now, November 16th, 957.

FOUR PER CENTS. OF 1822-June 1st, 107; shut till July 6th, 1061; 17th 105; 21st, 105; above which they remained, once or twice reaching 106, till August 7th, 106. Through the whole of August and September they seldom fell below 106; but it was not till October 8th that they rose to 107; the 13th 108, at a fraction above or below which, they have since been, and are now, November 16th, 1081.

FOREIGN FUNDS. The fluctuations in these Funds have not been so ruinous and sudden as in former periods. The Colombian 6 per Cent. Bonds, which were at 80 on the 1st of June, are now 82. The highest price was, June 15th, 86; and the lowest, September 14th, 744. The Chili 6 per Cent. Bonds at 79 on the 8th of June; and now, November 16th, 773 have not been above 794 (10th August and 2d November) nor below 724 (27th July). Mexican, at 524 the 27th July, is now 66; the lowest price was, August 20th, 41; the highest, November 2d, 674. We have now also a Greek loan, which has varied much, being on July 20th at 18 discount; and the 9th November, 43 discount. A Buenos Ayres loan, having been at a small premium, and afterwards at 4 per cent. discount, is now at par.

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