THE BRITISH WOOL TRADE

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 733, 2 April 1881, Page 2

THE BRITISH WOOL TRADE

The following interesting facts have been abridged from a chart containing a3O years' history of the British wool trade, issued by the British Trade Journal of Oct. 1,1880. This interesting and extremely valuable chart contains a highly condensed and yet perfectly .clear record of the rapid growth of' this important branch of trade from 1850 to 1879. At that time the whole of the wool imported into Great Britain amounted to %300,0001b, of which 39,000,0001b. was from the Australian colonies, which realised an average value of lid per lb, in the grease. In 1860 the quantity of wool imported into great Britain had increased th 148,300,0001b,, of which 50,000,0001b. were from Australia. The average value of which m the grease was 14jd, per lb. In 1870 the importion of wool in Great Britain had risen to 263,200,0001b., of which Australia contributed 170,700,0001b. The average prico in the grease that year was only 9Jd per lb, In 1879 the importation of wool into the United Kingdom had risen to 411,100,0001b,, of which the Australian Colonies furnished the large contribution of 285,000,0001b., which realised an average value of 9| per lb. in the grease. Thus we learn that the export of wool from Australia has increased sevenfold in tho last 30 years, During the same period the wool exported from South Africa has only advanced from about 5,000,0001b. in 1850 to about 45,000,0001b. in 1879. The export of raw wool from England toother countries was comparatively smnll till 1861, .when 40,000,0001bs of foreign colonial wool were sent through England to other manufacturing countries. Tho trade in unmanufactured wool increased so rapidly that in 1871 it had risen to 140,000,0001b of foreign and colonial wool sent through the United Kindom to other manufacturing countries. In 1879 the wool thus sent through the United Kingdom had increased to over 240,000,0001b. The line in the chart showing tho fluctuations in tho price of unwashed Australian wool j is an extremely curious one, the fluctuations in tho price often extending to 4jd. per lb, within a few months- The highest average prico obtained for Australian wool was in 1857, when it reached 15|(1. per lb from which it suddenly fell to 9Jd. per lb. The lowest limit was reached in 1870, when Australian unwashed wool only averaged 7fd per lb, The value of the woollen manufactures oxported from Great Britian is also shown on the chart. The lowest point reached was in' 1855 when the value of the woollen manufactures amounted to £7,700,000. From this point the exportation of woollen manufactured goods speedily rose till, in 1872, their value is given as £32,400,000. From that time there has been a rapid decrease in the value of this export till, in 1879, it had fallen 10 £15,800,000. The chart is admirably arranged so as to give full information respecting the wool trade of Great Britain during the period from 1850 till 1879, It will be scanned with advantago not only by these-engaged in the wool trade, but by all who take an interest in the great staple productions of Australia,—Argus.