The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-02 00:00:00

PRICE OF LEATHER: BO )TS, AND SHOES.

In consequence of the recent great advance in the price
of leather, it has given rise to a general movement in the
boot and shoe trade throughout the country, with a view
to place the manufactured article upon a foci ing with
regard to price commensurate with that of the raw
material. Meafings have been held in several town 3 in
Yorkshire, including Hull, Bradforl. and Leeds, and at
the whole of them a general advance in the price of boots
and shoes was determined upon. The Leeds meeting,
which was numerously attended by the trade, took place
on Monday evening at the Royal Hotel. Mr. Stead, of
the firm of Mesrs. Stead and Simpson, was called to the
chair, and he communicated some interesting information
in reference to the cause of the advance in the price of
leather, the prospects of the trade, and the probable
future supply of the raw material. At the commencement
of the Russian war Mr. Stead stated that we had a
' surplus stock of loather generally in the country, owing
to the large imports from France, Germany, Portugal,
Australia, and America. Before the war, however, when
we were importing largely of leather froM America, the
Americans were, on the other hand, importing our green
hides to the extent of thousands per month. The conse-
quence was that after the requisi•e period for tanning the
large number of Enedish hides in America, which ought
to have h.!en is Our plSSySilfra as leather, eati;ed the
balance of supply to be decidedly against this country ;
and the importation to England has now almost entirely
ceased, prices being as high as, and in some articles
hieher, both in America ar.d on the continent, than they
are hero. These facts, with the falling off in the • imports
of the raw material from Buenos Ayres and ether parts,
account in a great measure for the present prices,—
unprecedented since the years 1825-6. Mr. Stead added
that, though at the outbreak of the war with Russia,
there was a surplus stock of leather in this country, that
event alone, apart from other circumstances, was sufficient
to absorb it, as our present position proved. The Austra.
lien and other markets were also, even at the present
time, taking an immense amount of manufactured goods,
adding another serious drain upon our resources and
supply. In the course of his remarks Mr. Stead also
read the following comparative statement of the whole.
sale prices of leather per lb. from the tanner to the mer-
chant, in the years 1850 to 1857 :

1850. 1857.
s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Advance.
Strong but's 0 9 to 1 0 .. 1 11 to 2 2 .. 110 percent
Strong insole
Shoulders

Welt shou ders 0 8 to 0 9.. 1 6 to 1 g.. 120 do
Hide butts

CArsk'ns ...... 1 1 to 1 4.. 2 3 to 2 8.. 100 do
Beat kip sup. 1 4 to 0 0.. 2 2 to 0 0 .. 75 de

First ditty .:.... 1 2 to 0 0.. 2 0 to 0 0 .80 K.

Second ditto .... 011 to 0 0..1 10 to 0 0 100 do
Thi dditto ....... 0 9 to 0 0.. 1 7 t. 0 0 .. 105 do

F •arth ditto 0 7 to 0 0 .. 0 6 to 1 -4
iiii a";
Horse hides 7 0 to 8 0 ..16 0 to 18 0.. 110 do

Horse butts. 0 5i to 0 0.. 1 6 to 1 7 .. 201 do
Englibh butts .... 0 83 to 0 9.. 2 0 to 2 6.. 210 do

Insole hellies .... 0 33 to 0 43.. 0 to 1 0.. 200 do
Shaved 1'1(1E3 .... 0 7 to 0 73.. 1 2 to 1 10 .. 204 do
Petab.klpsBto9.. 1 2 to 1 3.. 2 0 to 2 2 .. i 75 do
Ditto, 11 .. 010 to 1 0.. 1 10 to 2 0.. 100 do
Enamelled seals..4B 0 to 0 0 ..70 0 to 80 0.. 75 do

The meeting was afterwards addressed by Mr. Robert
Wright, Mr. Robert Lawson, Mr. Banks, Mr. Roberts, Mr.
Lowley, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Donaldson, Mr. Reynolds,
Mr. Cundall, Mr. Steele, Mr. Collins, Mr. Dinnis, Mr.
Whiteley, and others. Resolutions were unanimously
passed declaring the necessity of an immediate advance in
the prices of the manufactured articles (boots and shoes)
equal to that which had taken place in leather, and the
proceedings terminated with a cordial vote of thanks to
the chairman.