MONDAY.--There was no business whatever transacted during last week, and
even the duty remains without fluctuation. In this state of inactivity
the effects of the Metropolitan Total Abstinence movement was a topic of
interest to the trade. As it appears that nearly 70,000 persons took the
pledge, the consumption of malt liquor must seriously diminished, and
the demand for Hops will consequently be very considerably decreased. It
is fortunate, therefore, for the planters that this year's growth is not
large, otherwise the prices would have been seriously low, and although
that crop is not only about an average, yet from this diminished
consumption, which is likely to progress, the value of the new will not
be more than last year, and possibly even less. There have been a few
small lots of 1843's at market, which go off very slowly.
FRIDAY.--About ten pockets of new hops have been disposed of this week
at from 7_l._ to 8_l._ per cwt. We are now almost daily expecting large
supplied from Kent and Sussex, as picking is now going on rapidly. In
old hops scarcely any business is doing, while the duty is called
150,000_l._