THE WOOL TRADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 107, 22 January 1853, Page 4

THE WOOL TRADE.

(From the Economist.)

There arc some points connected with the wool trade particularly worthy of notice at this time, when so great an excitement has existed in reference to it, ami when so large an advance has taken place. The first cause of the great advance at the last sales was the apprehension of a very great reduction in the supply iiom Australia, in consequence of the desenion of agricultural occupations for the gold diggings. But as we expressed our belief some time ago, it now turns out that the iovports of colonial wool up to the sth of June are quite as large as they were to the corresponding date of last year, and as the arrivals have been large since that date, we are prepared to find, when the accounts shall be further made up to this date, that they are rather in excess of 1851. Up to the sth of June last year the quantity of colonial wool imported was 11,048,465 lbs. ; and this year it was 11,471,585 11)^.

Bat, while such is the case with regard to colonial wools, there is, where it was least expected, a. large decline in the imports of other foreign wool. The wool imported from " other parts" up to the oih of June last year was 1 0 t '229, 72-3 lbs. ; and this year it has declined to 6,881,174 lbs, This appears to have arisen in great measure from the activity of the woolleu trade abroad, and especially in France, Belgium, and part of Germany, which countries have taken for their consumption a larger quantity of continental and other wools, ■Hie nuautity of foreign and colonial wools

re-exported from this country is somewhat less than it was last year. Up to" the sth of June, 1851, we re-exported of foreign and colonial wool 4,6(53,897 lbs., and up to the same dale in the present year there has been -re-exported 4,229,741 His.; hut the additional direct supplies of foreign wools to the continental manufacturing countries have far more than made up for this small decline.

The most remarkable feature, however, of the wool trade in the present year is the enormous increase in the quantity of English wool exported. Up to the sth of June' the following is a comparative statement of the exports, in this and in the two last rears :—

Ekglisii Wool expoiitkd.—Jan. 5 to June 5. His. .1850 3,312,(598 1851 2,-224,24 l 1852 6,059,756 This again has arisen from the great activity of the trade in heavy woollen goods in France and other neighbouring countries, where the use of carpets, drug-gets, mid other similar fabrics is so much extending. Taking- these figure!:, the following will show 3. comparative statement of the wool applicable to home uses in ISSI and 1852 up to the odi June :—

Taking, then, the decline in the foreign supplies and the increase in the exportation of British wool, we shall find that the home market has had a smaller total supply applicable to our iise as follows :—■ lbs.

Less of Foreign wool 2.791,274 Less Of British wool 3,835,515 Total deficiency of supply ... 6.626,789 This deficiency does not, however, of itself seem sufficient to account for tbe largo advance of prices which has recently taken place : and unless it is sustained by an active demand both at home and abroad, it seems more than probable that some slight re-action may be experienced. No doubt the great cause ot" the advance was an apprehension of a serious decline iv the supplies from Australia. That apprehension is now much modified—first, by the fact that the same quantities are actually arriving as did last year; and next, from the very extensive emigration which has t;>ken place, and which bids fair to secure unimpaired the .clip of next year.

Wool Imported—Jan. 5 to Juno 5. 1851. 1852. lbs. lbs. Colonial 11,348,405 ... 11,471.586 Foreign 10,229,725 ... 6,881,174 Total 21,578,190 ... 18,352,760 Deduct wool reexported .4,603,897... 4,229,741 retained for home use 16,914,293 ... 14,123.0!9 British wool exported 2,224,241 ... 6,059,756