YORKSHIRE LETTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 283, 19 August 1918, Page 8

YORKSHIRE LETTER

ICELAND WOOL

ITS CHARACTERISTICS

(Prom Our Special Correspondent.) Bradford, June 13. The wool textile industry sot a startler last Tuesday morning, when it beqame known throughout tho West Biding that the British Government,' in conjunction with the United States and France, had coino lo an agreement 'with the Icelandic authorities jointly to acquire the wool of the island, and in exchange would supply Iceland with other commodities from this country and tho United States. This important information has been conveyed to tliw country by Renter's Stockholm correspondent, and it appears that Swedish firms received intelligence from Iceland stating that "an agreement had been concluded , ' between Great Britain and Denmark by which al! wool now in Iceland was to be secured by Great Britain." It appears that this' communication caused great amazement in Sweden, as, many Swedish flrnie owned stocks of wool in Iceland, these firms being further informed that the British Government had purchased the clip from the Icelandic authorities at four crowns per kilogramme, although the Swedish firms had paid six crowns. Naturally the Swedish authorities think thai thfire has been an encroachment on the rights of firms in their country, and the Ministry for Foreign Affaire in Sweden is being urged to take up the matter. This is only what could be expected, but we are afraid that so long as the action has the endorsement of the Danish Government and Great Britain and America have agreed to granj: foodstuffs and wearing apparel to the inhabitants of Iceland, Sweden can proclaim her disapproval to the end of tho chapter without hurting anyone, because it is Viow well known that Sweden has been guilty of letting wool and fullymade textiles be shipped into Germany almost without let or hvntjrance, a fair proportion of these fabrics being made from materials supplied by this country.

Features of Iceland Wool. Naturally the whole subject of Iceland wool is ono of interest to readers. Situated in a northerly latitude, the island cannot lie regarded as very suitable for sheep, and it is a little difficult to ascertain the actual number. The figures given by Messrs. Dalgety and Co., ltd., is 1,314,1!)" eheep for "Denmark, Iceland, and Faroe Islands," and because of its situation. Iceland can never be an important contributor to the wool stocks of the world. The island being owned by Denmark, it is only natural to think that the bulk of tho wool ordinarily wont to that country. If wo reckon the sheep k producing, say, 31b. of wool per head —which we very much doubt—the aggregate clip of tho threo countries named only lotnls S.DS'.oDWb.—by no means a big weight.

Climatic and other Conditions. Looking at Iceland wool, we are afraid that thia term lias been abused in days gone by by those who have eold, particularly underwear fabrics, as being mado from Iceland wool. ■ The writer has seen woollen scarves, vests and ladies? spencers ticketed in shop windows as produced from "Iceland wool," the dodge being done to tempt an ignorant public by impressing upon them the special properties of the garments because they were stated to be .produced from Iceland wool, when in all probability the raw material had been grown thousands of miles from the island. It is just like naming .knitting yarns as being spun from "Berlin" wool when as a matter of fact the yarn has never been produced or spun in Berlin, the wool probably being grown in Great Britain or her colonies. It is high time that it was Ihe law of this country to stamp every fabric and every class of goods witli the name of the origin of production, for only then will it be possible to protect an ignorant public from some of the gross injustices from which it has suffered in days gone by. There is nothing .peculiar or specially attractive about Iceland wools, in fact,/ they cannot be compared to even the worst classes produced in Great Britain. The writer submits that Scotch blackfaced wool is better than that grown in Iceland, ami this can only be expected when one considers the nature of the herbage on the island, and the extreme winters which have to be endured. Prom the latitude in which Iceland is situated, the marvel is that any sheep exist at all, and they certainly are a very hardy race. The sheep are bound to be diminutive, and the writer ventures tho opinion that it will have to be a very good sheep indeed that clips 31b. per head, and we should say that about 2ll>. per hrad will be nearer the weight clipped. All the sheep dipping materials are exported from this country. Manufacturing Properties.

The outstanding feature of Iceland sheep is that nature provides it winter and a summer coat. This is seen even iu the animals that live oil the. Highlands, of Scotland, and also on, the high mountain ranges of l»th Norway and Sweden. If we take tho liaro that lives on the highest mountains in Scotland, their coat is grey in summer, but turns white in winter. In Iceland tho winters aro 60 bitterly cold that all elieep have to be kept indoors. They may be turned out on fine days, but the bulk of their time is spent' inside, consequently no big. elieep farmers are to be found on the island. Sheep have to serve the dual purpose of providing wool and mutton, and owing to the scanty fare in winter they become very thin and weak. In Jfact, it is "marvellous how they exist, their ratjon being so severely reduced. When spring conies, they are turned out as soon as possible and are never shorn until a fine under growth, what Scotchmen call "rise." takes place. In fad:, if sheep were shorn in Iceland before .Jlie new wool began to appear in the bottom of the fleece, they would nerish in a night. We should say that Iceland wool does nnt run more than 40's quality at Oie outside, that is tfte longest staples of tlie fleece, while the undergrowth will be in the neiehlxmrhood of 50's. This is largely manipulated by hand on the island, and is also escorted. The fibres are alron", and straight, with an abundance of k'erps. besides a short: fine undergrowth. The fleece is suitable for Ihfl nrodudion of course thick yarns, which can be made into stockin? ynrns, l>nt more so for carpets nnd blankets. Great. Britain will MS'V fir.'' an outlet fro- this Iceland wool. fhi> l»ullr of which will go into Hit production of the fabrics named.