YORKSHIRE LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1921, 2 December 1913, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER.

TRADE WITH AMERICA. POSSIBILITIES DISCUSSED, (From Our Ppecial Corrcf-itoiulents.j Bradford, October IM. The passing of the new duties by file American Senate has,brought the United States under the consideration of every branch of the wool trade. Growers and manufacturers, together ivitii every intermediate branch ot the industry, are looking across the Atlantic iu the hope of receiving material 'good as a result- of the lower duties which will soon be in operation. No man can fairly gauge the possibilities of tho trade which will be done, or soy definitely whether it will bo large, or small, (leiieral opinions seem to favour considerable increases in wool and its allied products, and we think that time will titlly justify such expectations. 'Mto United Slates, with its population of 90 millions, cannot but be an important facte I' in the textile world, and ns American sheep men are not growing much mprc than half the wool that manufacturers iu the States need or the people require for clothing purposes, tho country's wool men must perforce turn to the" outside world to make good the deficiency. Even if there had been no revision "ill tho tariff, a considerable impetus could not fail to have been given to t'iio wool and textile trades of tho world, for American retail clothiers and storekeepers havo for tho past ten years adopted a close hand-to-montk policy, and havo bought no more than circumstances warranted. That being the tase, we are looking forward to an increaso iu business when the new duties take effect, and there scents to ho nothing to prevent .colonial wools especially benefiting by the abolition of tho old skl. per lb. duty, and the placing of the raw material on tho free list. We purpose to deal below with the various sections of the wool trade, and see what America is likely to require under tho new duties. Wool.

Anyone in close touch with- tho United (States textile trade knows that Australian and New Zealand wools are appreciated by its spinners and manufacturers. It is quite, in order to sav that, tho bulk of the wools now grown in the United States aro eitiier or merino origin or direct crosses from this breed of sheep. Probably 75 per cent, ol the sheep depastured to-day in _ tho States aro cither pure merinos or its descendants. Consequently fairly 'big weights of both crossbreds and _ English. 'wools will bo required, in addition to tho puro merinos of Australia. No doubt sonic good merino wool is being produced in the United States, but the proportion of really high-grade domestic wool is not great, and consequently considerablo quantities of Australian merinos are certain to be wanted. These wools aro of- material assistanco in spinning and working up American domestic wools, but it is often a fact that these depreciate as tliey near tho finished article. This fact is well known to American manufasturers, and for blending with their own domestic wools Australian mcrieoa of the same quality aro exactly what they need. For months tho prices of United States grown wool havo been down to tho level of imported .woois; consequently foreign wools offer to-day hardly any inducement except that which arises from the belter manufacturing properties which they possess, and after all i.'his is considerable. Wo certainly think that every description of Australian!' merino wool will bo wanted by American spinners and manufacturers, though possibly for some mouths to cotno they will continue to show a preferenco for the hotter olussos, being moro accustomcd to the ;vorking-up of these wools. Vp tfl~9 think that good Capo wools will be called for, for there are certain fabrics which Cape wools suit admirably and for which they can hold their own against those of Australian origin. "With regard to crossbreds, these arc certain to be imported in considerable weights, for in the Unitcd'SUites practically none aro produced similar . to those' of New Zealand and South Amcrica. Tho former havo always boon favourites with American mill-owners, and wo aro certain they will remain so. Tho wools of the Hivcr I'latc handle somewhat harshly compared with thoso of New Zealand, and rafik wore nearly like tho English grown types. Wo fail to see anything-which may prevent considerable purchases of these crossbred wools, and if American spinners and manufacturers wish to compete successfully with the imported fully manufactured article,' they must import big weights of foreign grown wools of all qualities.

Considerable difference of opinion pre- ] vails regarding tlio, possible requirements of American spinners, awl it is a debatable point whether United States topmakers can hold their own against the moderate duty ot, B.per cent. 011 tho imported article. We doubt if they can. \Y hat ever else may bo sent in, we think that practically all totalities of tops combed in Bradford will be shipped, but United States topmakers state candidly that they will try to keep their trade. They propose, if undersold by the makers ot the imported article, to force down the price of domestic wools, and in that way produco quite as cheap a top as that from Great Britain and the Continent. Wo must admit that we like the spirit of United States topmakers, spinners and manufacturers, and their determination to run their plants if at all possible. Tho greatest satisfaction of all will 110 doubt bo derived l'rom mills being kept running, although 110 doubt profits will bo severely reduced compared with recent years. The great variety of tops made to-day in Bradford will most probably appeal to 'spinners of specialty yarns, and we certainly think iu 'lie ordinary merino and crossbred tops a l'air measure of business will bo done. Already some American spinners have bought English 1 wools,, requesting that half bo shipped, and half combed in Bradford, 'the results will be compared, both tops spun, aiul a fair test made as to tlio initial cost and the results obtained in combing and spinning. This 110 doubt will Ira searching examination, and will at once show the interested firm where, things stand. Yarns. The question of exports of yarns is also engaging serious attention, and largo numbers of samples have already been dispatched. Considerable interest both on the part of Bradford as well as American spinners is certainly shown bv their active preparations i'or futiiro "trade, and wo believe that the real test of tlio situation will arise when tho duties actually become law. No one yet seems capable or willing to pronounce a reliable verdict as to whether West Biding spinners will lie able to undersell American spinners, but wo are certain that both sections of the irade will luivo a good try for whatever business is offering. We understand that French and (lerniiin spinners are also making a bid for a share of American trade, and in view of tho considerable weights of worsted yarns which are imported into this country from the Continent, it is reasonable to suppose that tliev also will do a big business across the Atlantic. Yarn is an article which hardly lends itself to the same measure of manipulation as tops and wool, and especially in view of the fact that the duties on yarn are considerably higher lhan on tops. St!!!, souks biii weights of both singles and twofolds as well as cashmere and uiohnir yarns should bo shipped, tho mohair

trade, especially Ifiir;.; anxious to a considcraiile increase in the sale ui' their speewliiies. PiC3CS. t"U'J.-.'r liiore favourable lariif?, West llidinj; maiiiilacluicrs have always (ion-! a hig liusines.i in piece |j;im!ls, ami Ave certainly think that therj Will be an increase in the trade dune during icrent years. Of course if a large bu»ine.'.i as done, it will iniire or lens interfere with the trade in other partly manufacture:! articles, and it seems useless t<i express a wish as to which we would like to see shipped in the largest (jinuitily. At tl-.e same t'inie we drsire above all to see, American mills run full time, in whicli case a nig demand will spring up for the raw material; for we contend tnat the new ditties will never lie regarded as satMautnry unless American mills can bo run full time <m a profitable basis. This will suit readers of this issue admirably, for all will want to see plenty of wool shipped and American spindles and looms Kejrt fully noli:!.;, Of course if West Hiding mannlactmers are abio to ship big weights of fabrics, it will mean a correspondingly large consumption of tops and yarns, but as already said, the best interests of the entire trade will be served if American spinners and manufacturers can. run tiicir own plants and meet European competition on their own markets. Toils of samples of one kind and another have already been sent, sonic sample piece orders hare been placed, but wo cannot learn as yet that any important orders have been: .placed. \Ve understand that the American Woollen Cp. havo already appointed an agent in Bradford, and if'tiicy cannot run their own huge plants at home thoy will then start importing West Hiding fabrics and so retain a hold npan their customers. In six months' time we shall be. better able to say what is likely to bo dono iu piccc goods under the now tariff, but whether there be a boom or not, we are looking forward to considerable increases in the shipments of both men's and women's wear fabrics.

American Demand for Tops, Hie market to-day has not been productive of any important change, and the same difficulties which have ken experienced for some weeks arc still 'haying to be .contended' against. The continued firm movement ot prices for the raw material in colonial selling centres, along with the absence of any real increase of new business m tho Bradford market, is placing importers in a position which is anything but pleasant, and "until some practical change takes place, either in one direction or another, it will bo impossible to sa.v that business is being put tiaough on a satisfactory footing. In dealing with the course of prices it may bo said that tboso aro holding lirm at recent rates, but this in itself is of little practical advantage, as the business being done is very often of an unprofitable liatit.ro, the cost of tho raw material being altogether <int of proportion with what can bo made either for tops or yarns. Increasing complaints arc being met with about the scarcity of new orders among si-iinners, ami in many cases these are selling out of stock, and their output is considerably curtailed. The position of affairs among manufacturers is such that they havo no conlidencc in giving out orders for yarns, and throughout t/ho whole of the 'manufacturing trade the opinion is unanimous that until better inquiry is forthcoming there ia not the slightest prospect of being able to pay remunerative prices for varus, 'l'ho best, feature of the situation is the presence of America, whose buyers aro operating in tho top market, but the quantities secured are little snore than samp'.o lots, and tho prices which they arc paying aro no more thau have been given liv homo users. The consequence of this is that it is an impossibility to make more money for tops, and though this American inquiry is appreciated for its own sake, it is rccorued as little more than an indication of future development. it cannot be said that the market is altogether dormant, and in spito of the present lack' of energy there arc thoso who look tipou tilings with fairly optimistic i-colir.gs, the business with America which is believed to be in tho background being the reason for this.