Tai; BOARD or TRADE RErunxs.-These returns, relating to the month
ending October 10, may be supposed to afford some slight indication of what effect the-dearness of bread has had in lessening the consumption of ether commodities. With the exception of sugar, dried fruits, and spices, there is not yet any visible falling-off in the quantities taken by dealers ; indeed, in many of the articles there has been a considerable increase compared with the same month in 1852. With a smaller population than there was in the United Kingdom twelve months ago, and in spite of the great enhancement in the price of grain, the consumption of coffee has increased to the extent of 189,878 pounds; tea, 35,499 pounds; spirits, 35,619 gallons ; wine, 78,838 gallons. The quantities of foreign grain and flour imported, taken for consumption, are much larger than those of last year, with the exception of Indian corn, which shows a great falling- off. The aggregate quantity of all kinds of grain and flour entered for consumption during last month amounts to 1,013,206 quarters ; which is at the rate of upwards of 12,000,000 quarters in the year, or nearly one-fourth of the entire average crop of the United Kingdom. The chid' feature with regard to exports is the decrease in cotton manu- factures and yarn, amounting in the former to 153,6471., and in the latter to 107,4741. All the other branches of our textile manufacture show a large increase, but not so great as that which has taken place in Metals and haberdashery. In the former, the increase in value is 613,7671.; in the latter, 315,2981. The next monthly returns will probably show a decrease in both of 'these -items; as the state of the money-market in the United Statea must lead to a decrease of orders for iron to that mar- ket, while the export of haberdashery to Australia is likely to fall, off also. The increased importation of leather manufactures during last month, shows that our Continental rivals are taking advantage of the higher price of labour in this country ; as will be seen by comparing the quantifies imported in 1852 and 1853.
MONTH ENDED LOTH OCTOBER Slices 1652. pairs 6,189 1853. Women's S 13,922 Men's Boots and Shoes.. „ 2,103 7,200 Boot-fronts „ 52,510 75,665
Gloves „ 152,604 387,694
Tanned Hides pounds 169,757 944,616 The importations of raw materials have been on a large scale. Those of cotton-wool are; 395,772 hundredweight during the month, against 296,527 at the same period last year ; of sheep and lamb's-wool, 14,919,871 pounds against 7,806,614 last year. Of tallow the imports amount to 173,599 hundredweight, against 91,021 last year ; from which it ropy be inferred that the dearness of candles is chiefly caused by a speculative rise in the price of this commodity. Large holders ought., therefore, to keep a sharp look-out as regards the Eastern question : a satisfactory settlement of that quarrel must cause a very sudden fall in the price of tallow.
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