MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 360, 5 April 1861, Page 3

MONTHLY COMMERCIAL REPORT.

Empire Office, Wednesday Evening.

The inward mail, per Northam (now five days overdue), is not yet to hand, and wo are in consequence, deprived of the advantage afforded by the perusal of our private advices, before publishing our usual commercial summary for the outward mail. , The news received by telegram by way of Adelaide and Melbourne is, however, sufficient to indicate a state of affairs iv Europe and America, especially the latter, which may not only effedt the present condition of this colony, but may also have considerable influence over its future destiny. As is usual in the case of " wars, and rumors of wars," the immediate effect .is a rise iv the value of money ; and a depreciation in price of our chief staple ; and such has been the case during the interval between the departure of the Jast mail and the one preceding. The wool market is reported as dul>, with a downward tendency, and a manifest inclination on the part of holders to realise their stocks. , What may be the immediate effect of the secession of the Southern States of America, it is uitficult to conjecture; but if the consequences should be civil war, and a decrease in the culture of cotton, we have little hesitation in saybg that the result must eventually be a largely increased demand for wool, and, consequently, a commensurate increase in its value. We may also look forward to the late progress of events as a great stimulus to the movements recently made for the establishment of cotton plantations in the Queen's own dominions; and possibly t'ae American difficulty, which at present fills society in general with alarm, may be ihe means one day of making North Australia a great cotton colony.

The effect of the news upou the wool market here is not yet apparent, aa there have been no private transactions of importance, and no sales by auction since the announcement of the arrival of the mail at Adelaide. As the mail cannot be delivered before to-morrow (Thursday) morning, arid a3 the outward mail will be despatched the day after, we presume the mercantile commu-

nity generally will have little time to spend at the usual public sales of produce. Mr.Ebsworth has, we understand, in consequence, conceived that he would be consulting the.interest of his constituents by postponing his sale to the succeeding day. We have not been able to ascer-. tain whether Messrs. Mortand Co. have decided to adopt the same course, or whether they will sell on their usual day.

We have, we regret to say, a very discouraging account to give of our market for goods generally since our last monthly report. Sales by private contract have been very limited in extent, and sufficient only for the immediate wants of the trade. There has been during the last week an active demand for New Zealand, but it has been confined to such articles chiefly as the present exigencies of the Government require, and in amount is not calculated to relieve our overstocked market to any appreciable extent.. Sales by auction have been held, and several attractive invoices have been submitted in wines, spirits, teas, sugars, groceries, and oilmen's stores, but with the exception of one article, sugar, the amount of business done has been very limited, and the prices realised, we should say, in many cases, far below the cost of importation. ■'...• ~......'. .

We proceed to notice the state of our market for some of the chief articles of importation especially those which'] have undergone any alteration in value since our last monthly report.

The Arrival of Sir John Young.—We are requested to state that when certain information is received as to the hour at whioh- his Excellency Sir John Young will disembark from the mail .steamer Northam, the Turkish ensign (a red flag with a white crescent in the centre) will be hoisted at the north yard arm of the Semaphore at Port Phillip. . Members of the Volunteer Artillery are then requested to assemble on their parade ground in; the Inner Domain, for the purpose of firing a salute; and members of the Volunteer Rifles, with the Volunteer Band, at the Hyde Park Barracks, without delay, properly dressed, with their rifles, accoutrements, and side arms, for the purpose of furnishing a guard of honor, and lining the road by which his Excellency will proceed from the Circular Quay to Government House. The detail will be given in brigade orders. The Turkish flag has been selected simply because it is the largest and most conspicuous, and not as having any political signification.—Sydney Herald.