OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 7

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER.

BRADFORD, January 5". BRADFORD TRADE WITH AMERICA

(Fkom Ot/r Special Correspondent.)

So intimately connected with the wool trade of our colonies is the Bradford textile trade that, with the opening year, it is fitting to see what trade this huge centre is doing with her best Customer — i.e., the United States. So closely has Bradford identified itself in past years with the American trade that notody thought that Bradford could be busy or even fairly well employed without the American market. We are happy to say all that has completely changed. It is .a fact that 1899 has been one of the most prosperous and most profitable years in the history of the city, and that, too, with the exports to America at practically as low a point as they were under the M'Kinley tariff in the year •188*, which was a period of dire distress.

Bradford has materially benefited by its periods of depression, co that never within its lr'slory were its productions so excellent in design and quality as they are to-day, and never were our manufacturers so keen in the study of the requirements of their customers. In the year just now closed Bradford has sent to America exports valued at £1. 800,774, against £1,331.802 in 1898, or an increase of £418,972. This upward tendency will undoubtedly afford a certain amount of satisfaction, but the total is a very long way short of what was doiie in the three preceding years, when the Wilson tariff was iii operation, and before the Dingley imposition had been put into foice. As a matter of fact, the decline in business in 1899 as compared with 1895 has been no les3 than £3,900,467, as against 1896, £1 010,892, and as compared with 1897, £3.227,720. Looking at the figures for the past 12 months, it must be said that they are not of such a character as to fill with encouragement colonial readers — by a mere comparison of the aggregate totals of this and last year. Let us take what in the past have been regarded as Bradford's three principal exports in the way of manufactured articles — viz., stuff goods, worsted coatings, and woollen goods ; the increase in the total exports, not withstanding, it is a fact that in these three items there has been a decline as compared with 1898. The total is £607,683, against £610,207 last year, or a reduction of £2524 on the three. A study of the following table will no doubt assist at this point: — btuff Wort ted Woolbn

It will be seen that though there has been an increase of £12,434- in stuff goods against 1596, there ha-s been a falling away of £13,633 in worsted coatings and of £1267 in woollen goods. The two latter articles have continued on their downward career, and, it will be observed, have never been at so low a point during the past decade. To what, then, is the increase due, it will be asked, and it is here that the unique feature to colonial woolgrowcrs calls for attention- and consideration. The principal factor which has brought about the increase has been tho butinesa clone in mercerised cotton goodd, mercerising being a process which makes the fabric look like silk" in point of brilliancy. ]n 1895 the export of cotton goods was valued at £230,344; 18S6, £158,465; 18S7, £306.308 ; 1898, £353,055 ; and 1899, £599,827. Tims il will be seen that cotton goods alone account for £246,772 of the increase over the exports of 1898, and they are considerably in excess of any other article exported.

CONTRAST IN PRICES,

The position of wool to-day is just p£out stationary, and while things may be said to be no "forrarder," they are nevertheless in a very satisfactory way. The balance of 1899 has been struck, and the present generation of woolinen cannot remember such a year. It is perhaps this fact that is causing such a cheerful, confident, feeling as is apparent throughout the whole market. On all sides one sees strong indications of a good heavy turnover being effected be-. fore long, and business is again ripening unto harvest. Inquiries for the first week in the new year have been very numerous, and both s'aplers and topmakers are "sitting tight" on the small stocks they have. Here and there one finds a man boldly asking ior_£d more than what has yet been made, but, generally speaking, 2s lOd is still the selling price of good super 60"s tops. There is also some renewed inquiiy for medium crossbred?, and it is now safe to say that men are bending their energies in that direction. The industrial situation still remains at a maximum, and everyone is as busy as he possibly can be. It is just about a year ago when we gave a table showing the prices then ruling for standard worsted coatings, and we think we cannot do better than repeat that table, giving to-day's priced as a comparison. The following table is unique : — P.ice Piicj

Goods. Uoaiing^. Uooas. vvcoi. mis 1 . Year. £. £,£.£. £ 18 0 2,123 SLO 1,091,151 55 8)0 £7*,918 3,347,459 IF9' 9i7'"37 H22,00l 25,587 1 5" ,655 1,79 ',780 18!I2 1,017 811 1,059,C28 30 6 fi J45,»17 2 SBH.OK2 ■ BiW 70-«,587 737,705 17,198 10^,715 1,570,205 ■=894 S!)Gf26 J42 1-76 21.C73 222,088 1,278 7''>3 185-5 2,00^,185 1,75^,18'i 478,101 tiil4i9 4,8J5,WU4 189 i 5):i2'50 t-31,031 285 593 305,788 2.216,4-15 185)7 1,215 091 693,793 160 592 1,78), 254 3,832,733 18P8 5 0141 8:, 8i 2,*8 l U'1,124 ',24,331 lsflj f-32 576 7-) 549 J. 614 161,975 769,71(3

per yard, per yam Width. Weight JaD. 1899 Jan. lfiO( in. fz-t. s. d. a. d. 55 60' t. qual. wors. coatipgs 12 19 2 6 55 „ „ „ „ 14 111 2 9 f-5 „ , lfi 2 2 3 0 55 „ „ „ 18 2 5 3 4 P5 .. „ „ 20 2 8 3 8 55 o6's „ „ „ 12 1 6 2 3 55 „ „ „ 14 1 8 2 6 55 „ , 16 110 2 9 55 38 2 0 3 0 55 „ „ „ „ 20 2 2 3 4 The above are for what are known as American "clay" worsteds.