OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1755, 21 May 1913, Page 9

OUR YORKSHIRE LETTER

[ THE TRADE IN WOOL WASTES. NEW AMERICAN iDUTIES ON WOOL AND ITS MANUFACTURES. (Viom Our Special Correspondents.) Bradford, April 11, 1913. Wo live in days when it can truly bo said that in the' wool trade nothing is wasted, for every part of the fleece can be used in ono way or another. Anyone with even an elementary knowledge of the textile trade knows tnat every operation produces sonio waste, but this socalled "waste" is not cast oh the dunghill as was onco the case. It is iiscd in tho production of serviceable goods of some kind. Without that usstul quadruped tho sheep, the whole human family would be very badly off indeed. Tho little animal provides food for the body and clothing for the back, and we question very much whether it is 9s widely appreciated as it should be. Tho old saw that familiarity breeds contempt is applicable here, for in 'these dnys of booming trade tho textile world is, figuratively speaking, on the sheep's back, almost pulling off the fleece from its skin. However, spinners and manufacturers possibly appreciate the sheep more than evor they did.. Even the waste trade itself would be non-existent but for sheep, but instead of the number increasing in proportion to tho developing needs of tho world, we are afraid that the greatest increase is taking place in population. As we cast our eyes around, we aro under the impression that sheepbreeders aro appreciating their position more than ever, and we can safely impress upon them the importance of multiplying their stocks as much as possible, for tliera is nothing to indicate that there will be any surplus of wool grown.

THE WORLD'S SHEBP STOCKS. The entire wool and waste trade world is laid undor a debt of obligation to Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., tor compiling statistics showing tho world s sheep stocks. As already said, no surplus of raw material is being grown, but the fleeces .which are being produced are providing the trailo with sufficient raw material to keep tho wheels of the loxtile trade revolving. It will indeed be a sad day when Australia is again visited by a few years of successive drought, as was the case from 1897 to 1902, for everything points to the manufacturing world wanting no less wool than was produced last year, when Australia turned out her record clip, -the fact is remarkable that although that important part of Great Britain's domains is carrying a few hundred million sheep less than was the case in the early nineties, the quantity of raw material exported last year was several hundred thousand hales more, all duo to tho improved class of sheep which is being depastured to-da 3. Tho reader will see that when a sheep is shearing, say, 2lb. per head more than was the case 15 ,to 20 years ago, it tells a very different tale in 1 the number of bales exported, and, as far as one is able to judge, the world's output of wool, will run more in that direction than towards increase in numbers. The following tables show- the latest sheep returns _ and tho figures showing the population 01 the world, contrasted with those for lew:

Sheep figures. Latest dates. • 1895. Europe 182,515,920 198,194,214 Australasia ..... 117,011,654 110,561,331 South America... 109,084,730 10j,,847,13-. North America... 03,486,952 5/,1j8,6D0 Africa 50,293,014 31,890,Da2 Asia 92,848,787 21,957,752 Miscellaneous • ... • . Totals 615,851,057 522,609,083 Population figures. Latest dates. 1895. Eurone 458,682,099 390,387,000 Australasia 5,525,915 . 3,810.000 floulh America..., -47,714.839 : .. 28,867,000 North America...' .'i07i976,!)6K- ' r 88,895,0iW' \frica 14,455,433 1,710,225 Asm *1,140,000 ■ 617,000 Miscellaneous ... — 50,000

Totals 035,525,252 500,336,225 •Wool-using. Wo need not waste auy spaco in giving particulars respecting the total output of Australasian wool, suffice it to say that it plays an important part in the social and commercial life of Australasia, South Africa, and the Itiver Plate. Our concern. to-day is to show what an immense trade is done in the materials which come out of the wool in the course of the processes through which it is put in order to produce the best class of fabrics, etc., and this trade comes off a good second test'to the primary trade in wool. WASTES AND THEIK DESCRIPTIONS. There was a time in the history oi' the textile industry when wastes, represented by noils, laps, shoddy, and burrs, were to a largo extent neglected; in fact, the poorer classes of wastes at one time wero regarded as being entirely useless, jind were thrown away. Those days have goue by for ever, and there is no class of bye-products from wool itself that is not a commercial and useable product. If we take noils, these are the short hbres thrown out in the combing operation; that process simply combing out the long fibres, and separating them from the short. Noils are a very important product, being produced in largo quantities, and when wo tell readers that really superfine white noils are worth to-dav as high as Is. 9d. per lb., they will see that they cannot be in the least inferior to fetch such-a price. Of course, iDe noil trade is specialised just the same as the wool trade itself, the various qualities being standardised. For instance, in lino merino noils we have what are known, as clear noils, i.e., those in which, there-is a minimum amount of vegetable fibre, seed, shiv and burr being practically non-existent. Then there are other fine noils where these materials are present in considerable quantities, and before these noils can bo used this objetionablo matter must be eliminated. The only process hitherto known for doing this is carbonising, and this operation has at least been brought to such a state of j perfection that the work can be done in a most commendable way. The trade in noils is an almost universal one, on account of the tremendous quantities of raw material, for wherever combing is done there is bound to bo noils as a result. Of course, iu the process of combing the long fibres are mado into "silver" form, and are called tops. These tops are the chief result of the combing operation, being more valuable than the noil. Noils are very largely exported, as well as used by homo manufacturers in the production of flannels, shirtings, and an endless variety of woollen cloths, including felt hats. Crossbred noils are very largely consumed by blanket manufacturers ; iii fact, they can be used into almost every trade whero carded yarns are produced. . , ml ~ Then we come to laps. j. heso are the short ends which become broken off from tops, and are made in the drawing operation. We are here entering a technical branch of the tcxtilo trade, and laps are likewise mostly used bv tho woollen trade, and vry useful material they n. rc - J' would oo a scandalous shame if thefe could not be turned to good account, and laps are largely sought after by the manufacturers who buy noils. As a rule laps are totally free fi'om seed, shiv and burr, these being to n very large extent eliminated in the combing operation or found in the noil. Good laps are always valuable, fetching priccs within 2d. to 3d. of tops, and they contain the best of wool. Shoddy and burrs are naturally very short fibres, which are mado in the combing operation. Tho word shoddy should not be here wrongly understood. The common idea of shoddy is tlint it is the product of woollen rags, and is associated with the Dewsbury and Batley trade. Well, that no doubt is tho propel idea, still wool shoddy is produced in the combing operation, and this by-produco is luir turally "all wool." As a rule, shoddy and burrs are put together, and present a very queer appearance, particularly lo the uninitiated- The reader can well see that when all the vegetable fibre is taken from the wool, a few _ short fibres are certain to go with it. and it is these which are termed shoddy and burrs, and which have to )w carboniscd before being fit for lisp. When this is accomplished, tho resultant, material is naturally very short indeed, but it can be used, and has a commercial value. . . One now conies to the spinning opera- • i: ia. and here wastes are the order of the

day." I'hero are the drawing wastes ami the spinning wastes. These are very valuable, simply because they are the cmls ami threads which are produced in the operations which take place ill converting the combed top into yarn. This process is too long to describe, but in every machine it goes through there is hound to I>3 n little waste, which is sorted and sold. ,Tlion thero is the waste of the weaving shed. This is often known as "shoit ends," which comprises simply the little waslo that is ( made during the process of weaving. Seldom aro bobbins of weft allowed to run entirely oil, but as the end .'is approaching the loom is stopped, and the yard or two of spun thread is palled olf by hand. This is found to be far better than the piece containing the broken pick, for that would bo an imperfection. These "shoit ends" or thread wnsle are all taken and put through a garneting machine, and afterwards used over again in the production of woollen fabrics. These thread-pulling machines are. very useful, their function being to take the hard, twisted threads and ppen them out. This is done bv passing them through sharp, revolving cylinders, which have projecting teeth, and as the threads-go tlirougli the twist is removed, and they are torn into shreds, which, when opened out, can bo used over again. As ni ready said, the waste trado is an extensive as well as a valuable one. It is a question to-day of "gathering up in fragments that nothing be lost." 'and this principle can be truly applied to every branch of the textile trade. Everything to-day is looked into most carefully, and surprising are the prices which are to-day being paid for every description of bvproducts. Trade in all these lias lately been very good, and we believe that nothing'of a seriously injurious nature wili happen in the future.

THE PROPOSED NEW AMERICAN

DUTIES. The feature of the week in Riding textile circles has undoubtedly been tlio announcement of the new duties on wool and woollen manufactures in tho American liousa of Representatives, and the information contained in the various cables from Waslvngton has been read with considerable interest. We ne:d not mention what effect the present e.xhorbiiant duties have had upon the trade and commerce of this district, suffice it to soy that notwithstanding almost prohibitive duties on wool and 'its products, the whole district ha 9 enjoyed a state of prosperity. All the same, the announcement of "freo wool," together with a material reduction in the duties hitherto placed 011 tops, yarns, and pieces, has been very welcome news to everyone connected with the industry. Tlicro are very few who believo that the proposed measure will ultimately become law in its present form, but even if there is a further revision and tho duties are slightly advanced, it is believed that more business will be done with our American cousins. A most favourable view is taken of the proposed new duties, and a considerable increase is expected in the exports of every class of produce appertaining to the textile trade of tho West Riding. There has been for years a unani-, mous opinion among travellers and tho'se'\ Yorkshiremen who, after several I years' residence in the United States, have como back, that the average class of woollen and worsted fabrics which lias lately been made by American manufacturers has been sadly defioient in wearing capacity, wliilo the very extensive use of cotton in place of wool' lias in no sense tended to the comfort or health. of tho American populate at large. Erco wool will place iii tho hands of United States manufacturers the privilege of turning out much better fabrics at a -better price, and we 6ee 110 reason why, with tho present duties, American mills cannot be run full time, and continue to enjoy a fair measure of prosperity. Leeds, Huddersfield, and Bradford at ono time did a big business with the United States, but during the last fifteen years under the present duties, a big stride forward has been rondo by American manufacturers, who. to-day aro better fitted for meeting European competition than they were under the freo wool days of 1895-9". The proposed now duties will undoubtedly mean continued prosperity to Yorkshire manufacturers as well as a larger consumption.of..raw :.wool by American manufacturers themselves.