A CHART OF THE BRITISH WOOL TRADE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2147, 12 January 1881, Page 3

A CHART OF THE BRITISH WOOL TRADE.

We (" Argue") have received from Mr G. W. Walmsley a chart containing a thirty years' history of the British wool trade, which has been issued as a supplement to the " British Trade Journal " of Ist Ootober, 1880. This interesting and extremely valuable chart contains a highly condensed and yet perfectly clear reoord of the rapid growth of this important branch of trade from 1850 till 1879. At that time the whole of the wool imported into Great Britain amounted to 74,300,0001 b., of which 39,000,0001 b 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 to 148,300,0001 b, of which 50,000,0001 b were from Australia. The average value of which in the grease was 14id per lb. In 1870 the importations of wool into Great Britain had risen to 263,200,0001 b, of which Australia contributed 170,700,0001 b. The average price in the grease that year was only 9Jd per lb. In 1879, the importation of wool into the United Kingdom had risen to 411,100,0001 b, of which the Australian colonies furnished the large contribution of 285,000,0001 b, which realised an average value of 9jd per lb in the grease. Thus we learn that the export of wool from Australia has increased sevenfold in tho last thirty years. During the same period the wool exported from South Africa has only advanced from about 5,000,0001 b in 1850 to about 45,000,0001 bin 1879. The export of raw wool from England to other countries was comparatively small till 1861, when 40,000,0001 b of foreign and colonial wool were sent through England to other manufacturing countries. The trade in unmanufactured wool increased so rapidly that in 1871 it had risen to 140,000,0001 b of foreign and colonial wool sent through the United Kingdom to other manufacturing countries. In 1879 the wool thus sent through the United Kingdom had increased to over 240,000,0001 b. The line in the ohart showing the fluctuations in the prioe of unwashed Australian wool is an extremely curious one, the sudden fluctuations in the price often exteuding to 4|d per lb within a few months. The highest average price obtained for Australian wool was in 1857, when it reached 15id per lb., from which it suddenly fell to 9Jd per lb. The lowest limit was reached in 1870, when Australian wool only averaged 7|d per lb. The value of the woollen manufactures exported from Great Britain is also shown in the chart. The lowest point reached was in 1855, when the value of the woollen manufactures exported from Great Britain amounted to £7,700,000. From this point the exportation of woollen manufactured goods steadily rose till, in 1872, their value is given as £32,400,000. From that time there has been a rapid decreaie in the value of this export till, in 1879, it had fallen to £15,800,000. The chart is admirably arranged so as to give full information respecting the wool trade oij "'I"* 1 Britain during the period from 1850 till 1°79. It will be scanned with advantage not only by those engagod in the wool trade, but by all who take an interest in the great staple production of Australia.