astfut Arts, ,a54ins, Xratig, 8cr.
STATE OF TRADE.
SOME of the newspapers speak of activity as prevailing just now in certain manufacturing districts. With a few exceptions, our adviccs are quite to the contrary ; the general complaint being that trade is even flatter than usual for February.
In the Manchester and other warehouses in the City, trade has been very flat during the past week. Some little business, however, has been done amongst shippers. The Canadians are about taking their leave ; and in a month's time, or little more, the Australian buyers are expected to be in the market.
We are Speaking now of actual sales having been made. The various manufacturing districts are busy generally, (though we could name some towns where things are very quiet,) and a great advance in wages has taken place throughout the country—in some districts as much as 25 per cent.
We hear that the silk manufacturers of Spitalfields are more busy than they have been for some time past; those engaged in the velvet and terry branch being very. active. There is also a great demand for both descriptions of moir6 antique silks, as well as such goods in general, and the operatives of all branches of the silk trade are better employed and are earning more wages than they have been for some years. The high price of the raw material is only acting as a sa- lutary check upon consumption ; had the price remained as low as for- merly, the demand would no doubt have exceeded the production ; and should we have a continuance of peace there is every reason to expect a remunerative and good spring trade. Other textile fabrics have for a time, during the high prices before the panic, partly superseded the con- sumption of silk; but the public will return to the old-established opin- ion that there is no legitimate wear equal to that moat beautiful of fabrics.
At Reims, Roubaix and Amiens, the spring is being anticipated with much activity, and cotton tissues are largely prepared at Rouen for ex- portation both to Algeria and the Mediterranean; at Mulhouse and elsewhere, Spanish and Portuguese orders for the district fabrics are pressing. The sugar markets are reported moderate ; and large imports of coffee are wanted at Nantes, Bourdeaux, and Marseilles ; Colza oil is in great demand ; spirits are stationary in price. The stores of wine at Bercy and Ivry are very considerable and are thought too large. The preparations for the Suez Canal cause an extraordinary move- ment at Marseilles in preparing for the exports to Alexandria and its neighbourhood.
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