YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2279, 13 October 1914, Page 9

YORKSHIRE LETTER

MERINO SELLING BETTER THAN TOPS. (From Our Snocial GorrcsDondente.) Bradford, August 28, 1914. lliere continues to bo little of practical momout connected with the wool trade, at least nothing particularly now is to be recorded this week, the war and its progross naturally claiming the first attenV?," of e . m 'y Englishman. Until tho Allies begin to chronicle out-and-out victories, and we see a chance of a successful finish, no one can expect the wool industry to arise and shine,"and considering the terrible conflict in which.we are engaged, stopping trade and commerce almost universally, it is really wonderful that wool values have not experienced a ■slump. Of course, war requirements have saved the situation, and aro continuing so to do. In our letter of a week ago, wo. laid special emphasis upon 'tho khaki orders which th 6 Government had placed with the woollen manufacturers -of the West Riding, South of Scotland, the West of England, and we believe with Ireland also, all of which has meant tho movement of tho raw material. This week things have been quieter because the firjt flush of buying is now over. The now orders placed last week.led to a fair measure of activity, chiefly in New Zealand slipes, short English skin wools and everything suitable for producing drab mixture khaki serges, wliile there was also a nice trade in New Zealand scoured crossbreds. We also find that a fair weight of even merino scoured stained pieces and locks have been called for, and 6ome report tlie sale of some nice lines of greasy •merino combing, all for absorption by woollen manufacturers. The Woollen Trade. Experience proves that the average reader makes no difference between the woollen and worsted trades of th West Riding, usually speaking of mills no matter what may be the specific nature of the goods produced, as being producers of woollen" cloths. This is hardly correct. There is a big difference in woollen'and worsted oloths, and yet both are made from the fleece of tho sheep. The woollen fabrics are somewhat warmer than those made from the worsted yarns, though the latter as a rule wear better and appear smarter. Woollen manufacturers have, however, combined the 'essentials of both, 90 per cent, of the army cloths being worsted warp and a woollen weft. This naturally employs both ends of tho textile trade, and although it has been suggested that the Government should use all worsted cloths, we certainly think that they will remain true to what experience has proved to be the best. The rank and .file of the British army wear drab mixture serges only the officers wearing all worsted 'fabrics. Of course, the latter'looks smarter, and is a little more dressy, but for general utility purposes it is doubtful whether-if is as serviceable as the former. By combining a worsted warp .and a'woollen waft, strength, and warmth, two essentials in war materials are ensured. All this has meant the use of big weights of crossbred material, the warp mostly being spun from a 40's qual-. ity top, though the weft is made from IG's'to 50's quality. When these serges are "milled" they produce a sound, strong, durable fabric, and the trade being done to-day is mostly confined to it. As these khaki cloths are being almost , entirely produced by woollen manufacturers, the looms, particularly in tho h/avy woollen district, are tho busiest of any, some of which aro running day and night. The unfortunate part is that all firms are not sharing in this temporary spurt. ' Merinos a Little Weaker. Wo regret to say that merinos aro a little weaker in Bradford. Nobody need 'express surprise at this, in iact we should havo marvelled had -they been otherwise One has only to think that there is today no demand for worsted coatings and serges, to see how this cannot but reflect itself .upon the demand for, fine tops. The writer had the privilege one day this week to go round one of the first mills in the city of Bradford, and came 'nway feeling sad and depressed Tho hundreds of looms standing and without warps, together with "the'standing spinning frames, made one think of what war actually means, and that mill is onlytypical-of -hundreds.mora. 'Commission wool combers aro nntuially very slack because fine tepmakers will (lot put out wool to comb.. Although somp are. still quoting 2s. 7d. for a good 64's top, a very good article can bo obtained at 2s. Gld., and some spinners say .that they can operate at half a crown. Of course, topmakers feel that when any weight of new clip Australian wool comes to hand prices must inevitably fall, and therefore they are prepared for such an event by.selling if they get tho chance. •■ That 'is really the position of things to-day. Most fine spinners are only running three days per week, but tiio war has developed one end. of tho business, which is father significant. Great .Britain imports big quantities of Belgian spun yarns, and also French spun yarns, these all being produced out of dry combed tops on the mulo principle. Bradford has specialised in the production of cay spun yarns, ..while our\ Continental competitors ni« largely engaged in producing .mule spun yarns. -The sudden stoppage of Continental yarns has meant a great spurt amongst these iu Bradford and district who can spin on the mulo principle, most! firms, having their whole output now.sold for tho next six month.i. Of course, Bradford could do a veryibig business if they had mules, but they bavo not, so whether it will he possiblo to me mule spun yarns in place of the ordinary Belgian yams remains to be seen. Continental News. This week we have had a communication from Eoubaix, which city tho German arirty has entered. It is a well-known topmaker there who writes giving us somo idea of what is proceeding. From .what Im says it appeal's that the Bradford of Franco is very similarly situated from a trade standpoint to Bradford in tho West Hiding."" Most mills wove being run about half-time, with business practically at a standstill, being conducted under very serious disadvantages. 'Still a fair measure of actual trade Was being done, although the bulk of the.mulo employees were at the front.- Ho said that by'the end of the mouth they were hoping to see their mills running about 70 per cent, of their capacity, and a big effort was being made to' execute orders for dTess goods. Of course that, is the North of Franco specially, and naturally having booked fair quantities of American dress goods orders for tho" spring of 1915, manufacturers were anxious to complete them. Thero is sonic hope of even tlie West Riding benefiting by the war on this head. t Germany has made a fair quantity of woollen and worsted frabrics for the States, and- a few orders have been transferred to Bradford, but thero is-still room for considerable development. The whole trade is ' trying its very best to hold up its head amidst the'difficulties which surround it. Host mills in Yorkshire aro running three days per week, while those 'having'khaki orders are/mining day and night. If tho war continues it cannot be long before other nations will have to place orders, and this will mean a larger movement of wool than there is to-day.