but Chop Dollar—Dewhurst's—7-lbs., which is fally 5 cands. per piece better than Bogle, was sold on 5th December at Tis, 1,40 per piece.
Drills—Unlike the other Cotton fabrics already reported on, the clearances of Drillings have been pretty evenly distributed over the whole year,
business in the commodity; but this is which would, prima facie, argue a. steady hardly correct, for there have been numerous "bursts," so to speak, and during these accumulations were disposed of, generally at low prices at their commencement, and at considerably improved rates as stocks became reduced. The fluctuations in -value, however, have never ben serious, and, taking one thing with another, placing their profits against their losses, those concerned in the English fabric more especially have come fairly well out of the business. From January to March, the quotations for common to good ordinary 14-lbs. English hovered between Tls. 1.80 and 1.95 per piece; in April to Jane, the lowest point was Tls. 1.68—touched in May—and the highest Tls. 1.91}—in April; at the beginning of July common Dragon was sold at Tls. 1.763, which speculative " bars raised to TMs. 1.78} in August; the comment in reference to the market then being, '"'and this, notwithstanding a healthy trade enquiry, and a diminished stock." Again, in September—* For Dutch and English 14-Ibs., demand has been lively, and the unsold stocks of both are now almost exhausted. Yet it has been no easy matter to raise prices apon buyers, who, at the close, are still straggling against the enhanced notions of holders. Of Dutch, Geldermann's. Dragon has sold ab Tls. 2.80 per piece, but Tls. 1.84 is the highest point touched by good ordinary 14-Ibs. English, while the bulk of the business in the latter has been done at Tls. 1.81 a 1.82} per piece." Towards the end of the last-named month, the paucity in selection begar to tell, and an improvement of 8 or 4 candareens per piece was established; but that was soon lost, the quotations for Mendel's Pillar receding to Tls. 1.79 @ 1.80, at which the market closed on 31st ultimo—Dutch Drills 18 have not been in regular request. Demand for them has come at irregular intervals, and between these the article has been utterly unsaleable. Nevertheless, it has fairly well maintained the opening rate of the year—Tls. piece for Geldermann's Drago: the price rose to Tls. 2.30 at the close of Autamn, and the dealers seem now inclined to speculate in Dutch goods, at, however, a decline of 2 mace per piece from the highest point. The manu-factorers in the Netherlands, equally with those in America, deserve credit for the purity which has continued to characterise their productions; and it may interest them to know that the Chinese, although not particularly upright as a nation, appreciate honesty in the things they receive from others.
American Drills—The table published last week shews the immense stride that this branch of our trade has taken since the close of 1873, and without farther comment we shall allow jit to tell its own tale, only adding a few figares tending to shew the course of our market during the past year. Taking P.M.C. (Pepperell Mill Ca.), D. as oar basis, prices have ran somewhat as follows:—Tls. 2.823 " 2.85, January to March; Tls. 2.85 a 2.98, April to June; Ts. 2.914 a 3.00, July to September and Tls. 2.92} @ 2.75, returning to Tls. 2.82 per piece, October to December. On several occasions, tne stocks of P.M.C.D. and of M.M. (Massachassett's) D. were ran very low, and at such times holders commanded exceptionally high rates; bat so soon as supplies in quantity were received from America, quotations declined, and frequently importers were fain to submit to the reduced rates, having found to their cost how sorely against the grain it is for the Chinese to improve upon their first offers. In conclusion, we may here remark that it is a peculiarity specially attaching tu Dutch and American Drills that sea damages—if not actually rotten—always command a ready sale, and comparatively fall values at Public Auction.
The total Imrortartoxs of Drills (estimated and making allowance for the Navesink's cargo, not yet published by the Customs) stand at 970,000 pieces, inst 1,173,000 pieces in 1876; and he total Dexiventes are 950,000 pieces, against 1,301,000 pieces. During the last half of the year, consumption increased instead of diminishing, like Shirtings, ete., but the total offtake falls far below that of 1876, and the decrease is composed wholly of the English and Datch manufacture (the former chiefly.) Importations, however, have never greatly exceeded requirements—sometimes even they fell short of them; and mainly to this fact, perhaps, is owing the tolerably equable range of values which is shadowed in the foregoing remarks.
Jeaus.—This textile presents a worse picture for our contemplation even than any other of the four cotton fabrics already passed in review. The figures are as follow 1876-—Pieces 247,000 Piece IS7i—5, 367,000 which shew a decrease in the offtake, against a heavy excess in the receipts of 7. It is difficalt to conceive what led to such an extraordinary and o Exclusive of the "Navasin's" cargo not set reported. whelming supply. At the opening of the year stocks were light, certainly, but the prospects were no better for Jeans than they were for other staples; indeed 1876 pointed to a waning business in this article, and one would have imagined that prices, at its close, looked at-in the most favorable light, were not such as to warrant any ordinarily cautious man rushing in so incontinently. But, without speculating as to the cause, there stands the fact; and whet has been the result? Importers in their own experience can best tell. Sometimes a lucky man has sold his chop and cloth at a profit, but the general onttarn of the business—in the commoner makes of the Hnglish manufac tare more especially—has been very unfortunate. On 2th ultimo a Peacock chop was sold at Tls. 1.26 por piece, and for six months previously who price of C.ELP. Green Peacock rarely went over Tis, 1.81 per piece,'which could not be considered a very encouraging return against a home cost of perhaps not less than, Gs. 8d. per piece. Of American Jeans the consumption has increased but, fo some extent, it has been stimnlated by the quantities of damaged goods which have hoon disposed of at auction for account of the concerned, and these cales have tended to keep down the valav of soané cloth. The first private transaction of the year was recorded on 28th Febraary (2,000 pieces P.M.C.J. at the satisfactory figare of Ts, 2.50 per piece), but on the 8th of June following the quotation had fallen to Tls. 2.25 a }2.26 per piece, and at the and of December there' were sellers of that brand at Tls. 2.30 per piece. The natives favor the P.M.C. Beaver the most, and occasionally whilst that has been' marketable as above, other chops have been utterly unsaleable at anything like their intrinsic differential values, or the equivalents of the differences in the home cost.
Sheetings (including Continontals)—The income of these at this place has likewise far exceeded the outgo, bat the offtake of 1877 exhibits a large increase over that of 1876. The statistics at date register 106,000 pieces in favor of the past year, and the American fabrics y claim te nearly three-fourths of that crease. Of Continentals there ave several qualities, the finest of which sell at Tls. 2.95 " 2.90, against Tis, 2.30 per piece or so for the inferior grades. It as doubifal whether even the best of these do more than cover, but we are assured that the lower' deseriptions have lost considerably. The American Sheeting proper has been, more or less, a "going" article since the opening of the northern ports last Spring, and we should fancy that, until quite recently, current rates have on the average, returned a little profit apon the invoices. In February Tls.
22 per piece was tendered for the fassachuset#s chop, and refused. A sale on the 20th March, however, established Tls. 2.70 as its value then, and Tls. 2.69 was the quotation a week afterwards, while Tls. 2.75 was the rate for Indian Head. At these figures bayers could not getfally supplied. Holders refused sell, and the result was that, a month later, the dealers were readily paying an advance of fully Ti. 0.1.0 per piece. The settlements "to arrive" about this
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.