COMMERCIAL. SHIPPING.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3389, 27 May 1868, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

SHIPPING.

The exports for the month have been— to Victoria, £275,246, being * decrease of £33,577 j to Sydney, £166,111, being a increase of £39,244. The Times of March 26 devoted a portion of its City Article to a description of Mr. Hughes's plan for the preservation of meat.

London, March 27. The money market has slightly improved. Discount; of first-class paper, 2 per cent. Australian securities continue in favour at the following prices : — Victorian Government 6 per cent., January and July, 110. 11l ; ditto, April and October, 112, 113. New South Wales Government 5 per cent., 1871, 1876 January and July, 99, 101 ; ditto 5. per cent., 1888, 1895, January and July > 96, 97; ditto s percent, xeduced annual draws from 1867 to 1875, 99. 101. New Zealand 5 per cent.. 1891, 98, 99 ; ditto 6 per cent., 1891, '.March and September, 105, 107, ex dividend. Queensland 6 per cent*., January and July, 103. 104 ; ditto, 189', 103, 104. South Austrnlian'Government, 108, 110. Hobsnn's Bay Railway. 49, 52 ; 6 per cent, bonds, 99, 101 ; 5 ditto, 83, 85. Sou they and Sons, at the termination of the colonial wool sales, write, under date 26th : — The first neries of colonial wool sales this year commenced on the 27fb ultimo, and comprised 16 983 bales, Sydney ; 43 115 bales, Victoria; 1,201 bal«-s, Tasmania ; 4,649 bal*s. New Zealand ; 19,295 bales. South A ust< alia ; 846 bales, Swan River; 32,323 bales. Cape of Good Hope ; making a total of 121,212 bale*. Afte^ a period of depression of unexampled duration, they are able to record a distinct tendency to a revival of the condition of tbe woollen trade, which, in the absence of excessive utonks of the Taw material in the hands of the manufacturers, had exercised a direct effect upon the wool market. With the exception of particular branches which had t been affected by the cotton, the improvement in English trade bas been due to a return of confidence, and to - a more hopeful view as regards the future. The aeries opened with a very full attendance of both English and foreign buyers, and with a brisk competition, and during the first few days an advance varying from halfpenny to a penny per lb. was established. In tbe case of low and. medium Sydney fleeces the improvement hardly amounted to an advance of a halfpenny per lb,,while quotations of greasy Australian and New Zealand did not exceed it. The pr c^ of wheat, especially of foreign, has been fully maintained at public sales. The demand for talluw continues good ; 421 casks Australian found buyers at previous rate 3 for sheep, and at an advance of 61. for beef. A trust is proposed to be created, which will permanently hold, fo long as it exists, all stocks and securities confided to its administration. Lord West bury, Lord Euston Cecil, Mr. Sandford, and Mr. Philip Rose have undertaken the trust ; to them being transferred numbers of colonial and foreign dividend-paying stocks in which one million has been invested, and in which New South Wales stands prominent for 50 000. Against the whole investment are issued 11,765 JBIOO-certiflcates, which are offered at £85 each ; these bear interest at the rate of £6 per cent, per annum. The affair being formally received, tbe selection of New South Wales Debentures showed an appreciation of the value of that security.

ARRIVALS. From Sydney : General Lee, Swiftsure. From Melbourne : Lancashire, Damascus, Pride of the Ocean.

DEPARTURES. For Sydney ; Strathdon, Devonporfc, Brucklay Castle. Marquis of Argyle, Australian. For Melbourne ; Bobe*t Kerr, Northumbria, Sir William Wallace, Wimmera, Ottawa, Conway Caßtle, Sea Gull, Naval Reserve, Kent. The Conway Castle, from Glasgow to Melbourne, with a general cargo, valued at £30,000, ran aihore on the Black Water bank, but was got off.

SHIPS LOADING. For Sydney ; E'even. For Victoria : Fifteen.