MELBOUKNE.

West Coast Times, Issue 341, 26 October 1866, Page 2

MELBOURNE.

The " Argus" of ilm 19th inst. reports : —

In the import markets business continues in a most unsatisfactory state, tlie amount of trade clone to-day not Having gone beyond the limited sgale which has characterised the trade of the past few days. In the market for breadstuffs there are no sales to report, and in their absence we enn make no actual change on quotations of Ll4 to Ll4 10s for best Adelaide town brands, and Ll3 foi-l-country brands. Tlie market, however, is decidedly weaker, the latter descriptions more especially being difficult to quit in parcels of even 20s below the rate named A parcel of Port MacDonncll flour has been quitted at Ll2, a decline on the price recently required. For wheat, the market is so unsettled as to prevent us from giving any quotations whatever. Horsefced is dull, and uviize is oifering at 4s 611 without leading to business. At auction, the cargo of the Eva Joshua, consisting of 5441 bags of Mauritius sugars, was olfered, and the auctioneer succeeded in disposing of 2200 bags at about equal to rates realised at previous sales. Privately, brewing crystals have been quitted at L 33 *10"s and L 34, in parcels ; and rations have been disposed of at L 26. Currants are somewhat easier ; a parcel of about twenty tons was placed at 4£d. A steady trade demand is maintained for kerosene oil, 1 at up to 3s 4£d for Downer's In stout we note sales of Dunphy's, in champagne bottles, at 8s 3d, in^ bond. Machen's meets with purchasers at *9s 9d, duty paid. For tobacco an improved enquiry is springing up, which, however, has not yet led to sales beyond a small parcel of half- pounds at Is, but we learn that some larger transactions are pending. Sales of Barret's anchor twist are reported at. agent'B prices. A small parcel of Virginian half-pounds aromatic was placed on private terms ; some faulty lots were disposed of at auction! Sales of Allsopp's bulk ale at L 5 os, in bond, have coj?e under our r.otice, and of Mariian's'sales at L 6 5s have also been made. Sherries have been placed in small parcels, at prices ranging, according to quality from L2sto L 54 and L 65. About thirty hogsheads of Martell's dark brandy have been quitted at a price showing an advance on formev transactions.

The ship Panama from California, with dates to the 29th August, has arrived at Sydney. Her papers state that the Osborne, for Sydney, sailed on the 21st August, and the - Siam on the 22nd, with 787 tons of breadstuffs. The Pioneer, for this porb, was ready for sea, with 3839 sacks of wheat and 1000 cMisnter-sacks of flour. The Anglo-Saxon, ibr Melbourne, had 10,000 quarter-sacks of flour, 5219 sacks of barley, '4830 sacks of wheat, and 3619 sacks 'of oats. The Warrior was loading for Melbourne, and A. H. Willc, for Sydney. The latest pro dure report states that wheat had been sold ,at a decline of 2^\ The exports are 8689' sacks of wheat, 11,000 quarter-sacks of flour, and 5219 sacks of' barley. Flour is in fair request for export. Extra baker's in barrels, 6d0125e ; half-sacks, at 5d0175c; extra family, sdol to odol 25c ; superfine, 4dol 75c to sdol 25c ; Oregon rules nominally at -idol 50c to 4dol 75c for extra in quarter-sacks. Wl.i-.it, Idol 50c per 1001 b. Barley, choice old, Idol to Idol 2£c per 1001 b