WOOL MARKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1915, Page 2

WOOL MARKET.

THE OUTLOOK. The unparalleled 'boom in the crossbred wool market developed by the enormous demand of Europe's ariHies for clothing is naturally the dominant topie in 'DaJgety and Co.'s Annual Review of Che Australasian wool markets, a copy of whicih comes from tile company's CliTistcliurch house. . The most tremendous of wars has involved an altogether unprecedented demand upon the wool supplies Of the world, and as we all know, and particularly that thrice fortunate mau on the land, the aheepowner, has forced prices for all hut the most inferior wools to a level which pays the grower extremely well. The outlook for tho coming season, too, is very bright for the man to whom the breeze of war has brought such good fortune. The continuance of the war throughout the approaching winter in the Northern Hernia, phere must lead to an even greater demand for army clothing, and an increase in the present high prices. There ace practically no largo stocks of wool in any country, and added to this, according to the Review, there la the certainty of a very great falling off in the production of wool in Australia this season, which cannot fail to affect the market very considerably. Wool-growers therefore may foe assured o.f particularly satisfactory returns for the reduced clip of IMMfI. Dalgety'g give figures of truly huge import bearing upon the war as it affects the wool trade. This is an estimate of the number of Old World troops equipped with woollen clothing:— Russia .... ;i.v.; 8,000,000 France ........ v .>.4,000,000 British Isles 3,000,000 Italy v;i 2,000,000 British Dominions 300,000 Belgium 100,000 Balkan States 1,000,000 18,400,000 Germany, Austria and Turkey : 11,000,000

Total (say) 29,400,000 Sucli a colossal world's army, of a size scarcely to be realised from mere figures, requires a colossal quantity of wool. As it takes sixteen pounds scoured wool to equip one soldier, including blanket and greatcoat, or equal, say, to tlxirty-two pounds of greasy wool, it will require a total of 928,000,0001b of greasy wool to provide Europe's fighting men with on# uniform and other necessary equipment apiece.

Moreover, it must be remembered that the soldiers in the trenches awl elsewhere in the firing line need fresh clothing every three months or so. Dalgety's, putting the life of a uniform at six months, calculate that the number requiring one extra equipment during the year, 10,000,000 men, will require a further 330,000,0001b of greasy wool, making the total consumption of wool for clothing tile armies of the combatant nations for one year no less than 1,248,000,0001b. "Now, says the Review, "as the world'B total production of wool amounts to only 2,500,000,0001b of wool, all of which is not suitable ior the manufacture of clothing, there is but 1,252,000,0001b or 50 per cent of the world's wool clip, available for the world's ordinary clothing requirements for the year. The tremendous struggle for supremacy now taking place must cause a commercial upheaval sooner or later, which must result in the economical use of clothing, but it does not seem feasible that the consumption of wool can be reduced to one-fifth of what it is in normal years." How doe 3 Germany stand in regard to wool? is a question that naturaJly arises. The Review says that although the available information on this aspect of the subject is only meagre, it seems clear that our arch enemy's wool trade, though seriously impaired, is still extant. However, it is being'stoadily strangled," and as Germany's total flocks number only between five and six millions, she is suffering a wool famine that must have an appreciable effect on the upkeep of her armies. "It appears to us," says the 'Review writer, "that it will become impossible for Germany and Austria to adequately clothe 'their huge armies with woollen material much longer. Immense stocks of wool and army clothing must have been built up in preparation for war, which broke out tho moment Germany was ready to the last button, otherwise it would have been quite impossible to clothe the troops 'for the last winter campaign. \\ 00l will he one of the first essential commodities to give out in Germany and Austria may it give out soon!" A pious hope that will be fervently echoed by the world in arms against tho Kaiser.