The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-03 00:00:00

THE YORKSHIRE WOOLLEN TRADE.-ANNUAL

REVIEW.
LOOM, JAN. I.—The market to-day has been rather
quiet. The merchants are now busy taking stock, and very
few have been in the Cloth Halls , only an indifferent bog-
nese has been done. The trade of the warehouses has bee.
very limited this week from the same cause. Another
year has closed. We propose to take • retrospect, aid ve
view its trade. It leaves us prosperous and treanull.
Many grateful recollections occur to us as we part with
the year 1852. Our task has been • pleasing one; we
have had no painful story to tell—only the one constant
record of busy industry. The head of the diligent has
been employed. There has been no complaining in our
streets. At the commencement of 1852 • good stock of
cloth was generally beld.by the merchant. ; a fair portion
consisted of good and fine qualities that had been held some
time, and with which goods the market had been too plen-
tifully supplied. It was generally expected that the year
would commence well, as there had been • considerable ad-
vance in t he price of wool towards the clue of 18d1,and a move-
ment in the wool market is generally followed by • similar
one in the manufactured article. The anticipation was not
far wrong. Fur, although January was not • very brisk
month, t ebruary was hood ; and in March a brisk and
ac-
dee business was done, which was continued during April,
and received an additional impulse during the month of
Key, in consequence of accounts received from Australia,
expressing considerable fear that the discovery of gold in
that colony would present such prospects to the labourers
in that country, that they would leave their pastoral pur-
suits to go in search of the newly-diseovered riches, and
thereby jeopardisethe future supply of wool to this coun-
try. Considerable anxiety was manifested, and several
meetings of the principal merchants, manufacturers, and
woolstaplers of the was riding were held in Leeds. The
importance of our Weak' wools for the support of the ma-
nufactures of this treeetry was strongly felt, and prompt
asaenree wen as INNS emolved and actively carried into ce-
ased's& to nese doe emkreacies of the case. The primary
=Mess Odes parties who originated this movement have
ben questioned. But whether they were entirely disin-
terested or not we will not stop to inquire ; there can
be no doubt that important consequences followed.
• combined effort was made, and a goodly number of able
mid active labourers availed themselves of the facilities
offered to emigrate to the colony, and they would arrive in
thee, and we hope would be able to supply the want of
labour and meet the requirements of the case. It also hail
the effect of causing • very considerable advance in the pries
of wool at the London sales then about to commence. Par-
ties who operated at these sales have hid strong reasons to
regret that the movement was coincident with the sales.
It likewise was the principal cause of an almost unexam-
pled business being done in the warehouses during June
and July, when the stock of cloth, of nearly all qualities
and kinds, in the Cloth Halls, as well as in the warehouses,
was almost entirely cleared out. The same brisk-
ness and activity now canoed by the demand for the
winter trade continued during August, September, and
October, when we believe the best business ever enjoyed in
Leeds was done. November brought relief by being
a comparative dull month, but December ends. the
year by as excellent business. This is, we be-
lieve, a correct narration of the state of the wool-
len trade in each month daring the past year. There
has been a steady brisk Wheaten done, with only • very
slight exception, Ikea the oesanseecessent of the yeas to its
dose. Aced this ins not been ocinfined to this tows ; the
activity has pervaded the whole of the surrounding clothing
district. The manufacturers at Smalley, Armley, Wortley,
Calverley, mad the adjacent villages, who produce a very
good and respectable cloth, at very moderate prices, have
scarcely been able t• supply the demand they have had for
their goods; sad we are quite sure that the white manufac-
turers of Idle sad Ectleshill seldom have left Leeds better
satisfied with the market of the day. Thee there are the
spirited and active manufacturer. at Dewsbury and Bately, to
whom energies we are indebted for the " " Pilots,"
rs " Beavers,to., that we find so necessary for our comfort
in this inclement weather ; we believe they never had greater
exertioas to make in order to accommodate their customers.
There never was a period when the trade of this town and
the whole of the woollen district has been so good as it was
last year. There has been no overtrading, for in many
instances the supply has not been sufficient for the deniaad.
Even at the present time, when stocks generally accumu-
late, the White Cloth-hall is nearly empty, and the co-
loured market is very thinly supplied with goods, and the
stocks generally in the merchants warehouses much below
an average. Such being the state of the trade in this dis-
trict, it has enabled the manufacturers, finishers, and other
em en to keep in active work the numerousmills and
workshops that abound in this town and neighbourhood, and
give abundance of employment to the surrounding industri-
ous population. Fewer persons, able and willing to work,
were out of employment. The industrious classes were
never more able to purchase the necessaries and
comforts of this life than they are at present. It
is • great pleasure to record such a state of
things. We rejoice in " the improved condition of the
smantry, and particularly of the working chases, end we
believe it is mainly the result of recent commercial legisla-
Hem, and especially of the act of 1846, which established
She fres admission of foreign corn, and, with such results,
11110 Oa Melt abet that act was • wise, just, and beneficial
seeming r We believe there have been other contributing
Mem ; Men et them, a change in the tuts of the people
lillak hag be piths goods. For a long time past all kinds
lessies were the universal wear—no matter how much
nectar all the principles of good taste were violated, still it
when • • . There is evidently • change in this re-
spostand during • past year there has been &great demand
fie piece-died black clothe, Venetians, and other similar
peas. Venetian cloths have been regularly coming into
ped repute for several years past, and they are a elm of
geode admirably adapted for wear and durability, ei-
ther in summer, when lightness is appreciated, or in winter
when a stout and heavy cloth is required. It can be pro-
&teed as • smart medium, or a thick double mill.
Another contributing cause is, no doubt, in consequence
of the fair portion of society adopting woollen cloths their
almost universal wear for this winter; and we certainly com-
mend their judgment, for there is not a fabric of a hand-
somer texture, better adapted for the pupae, cad, in the
sad, more economical, than a smart wades cloth.
There has been a good business in medium and
cloths during Ills Far Y essessinsm of this deerind. We
have stated flat there hes bow a good demo& fee piece-
dyed blacks during the last year. -This is, to sem extent,
• return to an old state of things. It is now about twelve
years since common wool blacks were introduced into this
market; previously all wool blacks were dyed Mae colours.
The common colours have for some time espesseded the
true dyed in low and middle qualities in sessequence of
their cheapness. The columns of the Lull Mirtery, a few
years ago, contained a series of letters on the merits of each
dye. But, whatever the advocate of common colours then
attempted to prove in favour of his dye, time has demon-
strated that it will not stand the action of the atmosphere.
It is a fugitive colour, and often, before any important de-
terioration is visible in a coat made of • common dye, you
have difficulty in knowing what the original colour has been,
and even its cheapness will aot compensate for this great
defect, hence common wool blacks have for some time been
less is demand, and piece-dyed blacks are now sold in their
place. In nearly every respect piece-dyed blacks have the
advantage. They can be produced as cheap, the colour
equal in brilliancy and hue, and the only change the
atmosphere has is to take away • portion of its brilliant
bloom, but it remains a black, although rather dull. A
piece-black is also capable of being finished in a su.ierior
style. More lustre and appearance can be given to it than to
a wed-dyed black. Our opinion is, that in low goods and
ft NM extent in middle qualities, piece blacks, both in
mimmoa and fast dyes, will be largely dealt in, but in the
better class of cloths weeded colours will have the
principal demand in future. They have lately been
much in request, for, alter all, there is no other colour
equal in brilliancy and permanency to a true dyed wool black.
We think also the manufacturers are entitled to credit for
their spirit in bringing out goods specially adapted for the
season, and they have becu very successful this year in in-
troducing a heavy cloth named " Wilton," in various
mixtures, which has had a most excellent demand. It is
very lightly dressed, and will prove • very comfortable and
durable wear. We think a little more finish would have
been au improvement in appearance without any injury to the
other qualities we have named. Prices throughout the year
have had an upward tendency; it could not be otherwise,
for all the raw materials the are used in the manufacture
of woollen cloth have reiularly advanced throughout the
year. And we believe still higher prices are "looming in
the future." But notwithstanding this, and " the unre-
stricted competition " which all trades have now to meet,we
trust there is not much fear that the Wines will stand on the