AUSTRALIAN MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 254, 11 October 1856, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN MARKETS.

From oour; ur (#«<> Zealander) Sydney files, dating to. thtfMh September, we learn that if the flour and corn rftarketg have not again advanced, they have at *^SK regained a firmness which, during the previous T *f!}ek, had to a certain degree been Bhakeu. ,^tThe "Empire? of the' 6th, in its Weekly Trade rr ' jShe flour market exhibited early in the week a *»fidency to decline, owing to the number of shipPments from the other colonies j and it was understood that some holders were willing to sell at £26. The quantity of wheat and flour in the market which it was known shippers had directed to be realized as soon as possible, operated upon buyers, and sales were mostly effected at less than the millers' previous quotations. A parcel of Launceston flour, consisting of 25 tons, changed hands on Thursday, at £27 per ton. This market has, however, to-day been rather firmer, and the millers and the Chilian Flour Company are quoting the same price as last week— £2B for fine, and £26 for seconds. The firmness is attributed to the heavy state of the roads, as well as the late foreign imports, having deterred the settlers from sending down their produce. It is ■ probably, however, owing to the general conviction that before long prices will again advance, rendering the holders of Colonial cargoes unwilling to dispose of them under current rates. The expectation that our further Colonial supplies will come very sparingly has also had its effect on the market. This expectation may have been occasioned by the • present equality in prices throughout the colonies. " The prices of flour at our last date were as follow -.—. — ■ At Hobart Town, £27 to £28 ; at Launceston, £25 ; at Adelaide £23 to £25 ; At Melbourne, £27 to £28. It is probable that on the receipt of the intelligence of the millers lowering their rates last week from £30 to £28, further shipments hither would be suspended, and not be renewed until our quotations had advanced sufficiently to present inducement - It seems clear that in the absence of further shipments the flour market will continue firm, with a tendency to advance. The Empire, in its Markets Report, of the sth, says : — v Wheat and Flour.— There is not any alteration in the millers' quotations ; but few loads of wheat have arrived from the country districts. This is said to be in consequence of the heavy state of the roads, through the recent fall of rain ; and again, the grow- - ers are unwilling to send their grain into the market in the face-of the recent foreign additions to our stocks. Messrs. T. Barker & Co. quote fine flour at £28, and seconds at £26 per ton ; wheat good quality from 9s. to 9s. 6d. per bushel; bran, Is. 3d. to Is. 6d. ditto. Victoria Mills ; Mr. Buckley reports — There is no alteration this week in the price of flour, which is still quoted at £28 for fine, and £26 for seconds ; fine wheat, from 9s. to 9s. 3d. per . bushel ; bran, Is. 6d. to Is. 9d. ditto.

Sir Colin Campbell arrived in England on the Bth June from the Crimea, after spending a few days in Paris. On the 30th instant Sir Colin goes down to Glasgow to receive the sword from the people of that city, which is to be presented by Sir ArchiAlison. r It appears from a despatch received by the Liverpool underwriters, that 200 vessels have arrived at Cronstadt since the reopening of the Russian ports. The French Government, it is said, is resolved to reduce the army by nearly 100,000 men. Professor Blackie delivered a lecture recently in Edinburgh on the " Philosophy of War." In the course of his observations he remarked that, tnough Peace was now concluded, there was no less occasion for considering the philosophy of war, as he did not think it was likely this peace would be a lasting one. The more distinctly the people of this country kept before their eyes the possibility of the war •again breaking out, the less likelihood was there of it doing so. The lecturer then considered what was the cause of war. By this he did not mean merely contests between bodies of men, but hostility in general, under all circumstances. This sprang from a principle implanted in the human heart, which, as there was a root of good in it, they should learn to. use well and wisely. There was no sphere in which human beings existed, from men to the creatures in a drop of water, in which war was not carried on. Between nation? the most prominent feeling was one of antagonism, and in all history they could not find an example of one nation loving another. Every nation was like a sphere, which had an attraction to its centre, but repelled at its circumference. Such a nation as Russia, confined in a disagreeable climate, and surrounded with weak nations, could not, he thought, long remain at peace. Such a ' nation would try to extend itself, and .to a great extent it had already succeeded, and he did. not think it likely it would stop where it was. He thought, indeed, there was r no great sin in the Russians trying to get to Constantinople, and if Britain wanted to prevent this, it would need to be on the watch. He thought that human nature appeared in some of its noblest lights in war. There was more of the elements of , manhood in the profession of '' a/ soldier, , than that of a lawyer, a shopkeeper, or a teacher, and war developed several of the .most rfoble moral qualities of man.