YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1197, 4 August 1911, Page 2

YORKSHIRE LETTER.

, TIIE WOOL TRADE FROM KING GEORGE 111 TO KING GEORGE V. IFroai Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, .Tune 23, 1911. This has been a wtuk in tun wool trade the likn of which is not. sceu every yeni", and it is well, that it i* not. A .strike in "the., huh. of the wool universe, namely, Bradford, and Coronation festivities in every city, towu, unit hamlet throughout the United Kingdom, have caused a cessation from business. This moans that there hns been practically nothing doing, business being almost at. a standstill at the raw material end of the trade. Yet for afl that- the situation is not moribund or even devoid of interest. The Coronation is clese.y identified with the wool trade, for 75 per cent, of the show and trappings are produced out of wool. It really is amazing thn avenues into which wool is going, acd with tho lapse of time these increase. As one surveys the field of operation to-ilaj tlir fact is remarkable that the raw material is being used in the production of a multitude of things which were, never dreamt of 25 years ago, and here we have an important cause for wool occupying front-rank position. I have been led this Inst few weeks to contrast tlie difference in the production of Australia during the past hundred ytars, and I find from official figures that in 1811 the imports of wool from Sydney into Lomlon rsuchu:l the magnificent total of nine bales, there not being a pouud from any..other' State in the Common-' wealth or New Zealand. During thai same year eleven bales came from the Cape, theso being our total imports of colonial wool for that year. I have before me, as I write, tho official figures of tho wool imports from 1791) 16 1849. and I am struck with the fact that in 1805 there came from Sydney 1203 bales, the first shipment of all being in the year 1600, namely, 658 bales. It is reasonable to assume that these would not be the size of the present colonial _ bales, and, moreover, I am strongly inclined to thiuk that the bales would lie more like sacks tliiin anything. It must be borne in mind that the first wool from Australia, apart from the few fleeces brought over by Captain John Mac Arthur, was brought by the Rev. Samuel Marsdeii in barrels, therefore, from the quantity of sheep known to exist in New South Wales in 1505, there could not possibly ba 1203 bales grown, and I think this represents so many pounds weight, and not the number of'bales. However, the official returns put 3 them down as bales, and I suppose we shall have to accept them as such. Just to show what wool came into England in the year, 1811, I ask the reader's attention to tho following particulars:— ■ From Bales. Sydney J Cape 11 Germany 102 Spain 12,951 Portugal 9,100 Russian 29 Italian 351 Turkey, etc 345 Peru «7 Danish 4 * Sundries 11 Total 24,206 Tho most'significant item in the above is that Spain in those clays was the chief source oi supply for linglibh manufacturers, and it is well known that country Iheu furnished merino wool lor practically all Europe. King George 111 imported merinos trom Spain as early as 1792, and at a. sale at Kew in 1802 Captain John Mac Arthur was successful in purchasing sheep and rams, which he took to Australia, these really forming the foundation of the merino flocks oi Australia. .1 have in my possession a sample of merino wool grown as far back as 1802.and I. can. assure readers that that wool] compared with a typical merino staple of tvday shows a vast difference both in q'.ality and build of the fibre. Still, tho influences of suitable climate and pasturago havo had a beneficial effect upon the merino sheep, and there is no doubt that to-day Australia is tho homo of tho merino, and will be to the end of all time. It is yerj) significant, and I chronicle the fact"hereV'fdr,ytll'e'first time, that iii the , year 1807 the import of Spanish wool into this country reached its maximum with 51,458 bales, and by the year 1849 the shipments had dropped to 516 bales. In 1827 Germany took the place of Spain, and in 1836 we actually received from tho former country no less than 90,450 bales, against 102 bales in tho year 1811. We all know that the breeding of Silcsian merino wool spread rapidly in Germany between 1820 and 1845, but in 1820 the breeding of sheep in Australia began to rapidly increase; even little Tasmania, then known as Van Dieman's Land, stepped into tho race, and becanio an important producer of merino- wool. Just as showing our imports into Great Britain compared with 1811, I give below what wool came into our ports during the last three years: — 1908. 1009. 1910. From— lbs. lbs. lbs. Russia 2,009,469 4,966,402 3,798,031 Belgium ... 4,890.176 5,559,329 4,734,790 France .... 17,496,610 26,956,677 27,587,978 Turkey .... 5,653,263 9,727,855 9,501,945 Uruguay G,858,581 4,370,78* 3,487,094 Argentine Republic 43,178,045 42,208,120 32,382,184 S. America," * W. Coast (including Bolivia) 24,122,979 25,624,587 29,055,743 British S. Africa ... 80,567,547 115,901,498 104,296,907 British E. Indies .... 31,027,239 56,225,193 53,334,001 Australia 321,08G,159 312,710,067 314,517,042 N. Zealand 159,699,422 176,457,150 189,680,851 Falkland Islands ... 4,021,034 4,555,541 4,839,600 Other countries 15,453,728 18,169,345 21,356,153 Totals ... 719,044,881 803,432,548 798,572,385 The nbove is conclusive proof of tho triumph and enterprise on the part of man and nature, and the figures illustrate the- far-reaching results of a small beginning. CONDITIONS IN BRADFORD. The outstanding feature of the past week is the strike of the employees of the woolcombing department of the trade, and although the situation so far as the raw material is concerned shows practically no change, yet there has been precipitated conditions which can have far-reaching results if the strike continues for any length of time. General opinion seems to favour a speedy settlement of tho difficulties, but so long as both sides show a determined fighting attitude, there is no telling what may take place. For the time being practically all combing- establishments- are at a standstill, and what is going to be the upshot of it all only time can decide. There is little to say about tho actual trade doing. During the past week topmakers have bean almost surfeited with delivery particulars on contracts running, and although in th* majority of cases the line of least resistance is being followed, still topmakers are doing their utmost to oblige, their customers. If the strike continues any length of time, it is certain to have'an effect upon prices of both merino and crossbred toils, but there is little disposition shown to take advantage of the present peculiar conditions. It is an acknowledged fact that masters do not so much object to the granting of the advance in wages which is being demanded as to the disciplir.o of the operatives, and they havo determined, cost what it will, to be no longer dictated to by paid agitators and relf-willerl workpeople. Spinners have made all the provision they could to keep running their frames, and for a few weeks they will be. able to. run in comparative comfort, but i! the strike is prolonged it can very easily bring to n standstill a good many mills. The situation is therefore rather serious, although it gives little concern for the time being. Toymakers are to-day willing sellers, especially for present delivery. They feel that they are in honour bound to stand by fhoir regular customer?, and arc therefore not desirous of disposing of any light stocks they have to outsiders, notwithstanding that they may be ablo to command a fraction more. Stocks of orossbreds are heavier than in merincs, and spinners here can run for some weeks to come. ,11 is Ft ill ncsMblc to buy an average id's prepared top as low as 14d., although some are wanting a fraction more. Most attention is being given to tho disposal of iiew slip English, and at country fairs competition is good, ah>l prices slightly alwve what Bradford buyers were hoping to get in at. There is little activity at this end; in fact, when topmakers and spiunsrs cannot get tho wool combed they fed it is lifeless buying. Prices may be regarded as steady although salo3 are very limited.