The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-08-02 00:00:00

THETFORD WOOL FAIR.

At the last Thetford Wool Fair, Mr. Cole ad-
dressed the Meeting itt considerable length.
He observed 4. toot he had been the first insti-
tutor of that animal :omen-Italy of the growers and
buyers of wool, cud that the insect he had in view
was to save mach unnecessary trouble and expense
to both, by ascertaining the worth of that staple
commodity." Mr. Coke added, he was sorry to
ohaerve the buyers keepiug away from that room, in
which were met the largest proprietors of flocks in
'Norfolk cod Stith)lk, and who surly desired a fair
voice, aid a fair profit for their produce. Such
was the desire to esiutairli a mutual good under-
standing Imitween the two parties, taut the largest
growers hail asked less money for their fleeces within
that room, than they had been sold forafterriards ;
unit, ml, o to instance, he, Mr. Coke, last year had
asked only Go). per toil, for his South Down
fleece.. which, although he did not there obtain,
he had sold immediately after at 635. To one im-
portant point the Chairman said, 6. he was anxious
to call the attention of the Meeting, and that was--
the buyers not tasking a proper distinction between
the wools of thn: middling and those of a superior
sort, they having :2 regard to quantity than qua-
lity.." This remark was justified by a grower pre-
vent, who declared, that in his neighbourhood,
wear Brandon, the fleeces were bought at one prior,
and no discrimiiiation made, although he knew hie
own wool to have .been far superior:
Mr. Coke then continued his observation, saying,
" Since the introduction of South Damn sheep, the
flocks hail become more equal, and uently
greatly improved by mixture of ficectie won-
dered why the buyers should purpoisely avoid en-
tering the room, where the business of the fair
ought to be carried nu, and io which case lie con-
sidered it his duty, as well as that of all other iudi-
viduals, to give every information in their power.
Certainly the buyers, if they should appear, might
(and very fairly) anitsit that there was a probability
of the price being lower, because the ports of Spain
might continue open to our trade ; and that they
mOit ever continue open to British commerce—
said the Spanish Patriots be socceasful in the cause
of liberty, was his sincere wish, and, he trusted,
that of every Englishman." Mr. Coke said; 4. he
did not consider it of any importance to the growers
of wool, whether or not that which they had for sale
was.disposed of on that day ; but, if the buyers
ere detersuitted tircontinue firm in their adherence
of nurchasiug a; their own separate or fired prices,
why, he would tell the company assembled, that
the evil complained of originated with the growers,
because, by delivering in their woofs before the fair,
they supplied and kept feeding the manitfarturers,
olitaiuing no castain price, cod thu enabling the
bnyers to fritstrate the objesa of the uieettug.—
Ale the information he could give relative to the
present prices was, that the Dtiamare Forest wool,
which was not much superior to the South Down,
readily fetched 70‘. per tod. Three weeks or a
month since, before peace was proclaimed with
Spain, South Down Wool hail been sold at as. 6d.
Per Ili. but he, (Mr. C.) slid not oilier his--Incense
he was determined never to sell until the Thetford
Fair.
" Although he was aware that now the buyers
might not offer that price. supposing they could
obtain large supplies from Spain ; yet he believed
that evau Unee they had reason to imagine such
supplies would be °Waisted, they had offered from
s6s. to .sas. per tod. Mr. Foster (the Chancellor
of the Irish Exchequer), who presided at the Bail-
linaidoe and sew/rat other fairs to Ireland, was ex-
tremely anxious to introduce South Down wool
into that part of the kingdom." Mr. Coke added,
" he believed he was the first person who had sent
South Down, sheep there, which he had done to se-
veral gentlemen in that island; and in the report
•f the Farming Society of Ireland published lust
March, it was stated, • that much praise was due
to the growers of clothing, wool, for the improved
condition of their fleeces, which was very observa-
ble at the annual sole of South Down wool, in
Dublin, at Messrs. Berry's, en the 10th of the pre-
cvdiag November, and some, belonging to the
Row. James Symes had been sold so high as as. ad.
per lb. and he thought that the growers in England
ought to take into their consideration, the advan-
tagesiestiking fi can the exportation of South t)owu
wool into Ireland; and that the risk and trouble
attending would be repaid by a very fair profit,
there was every reason to suppose. There was some
little difference in the eurretnv, hut he under-,
stood there was not more than that of 13d. to Is.

" Per4iis,

who now hnd se

much grain to purchase, would find this traffic a
good speculation ; for last year. in Ireland, the
very lowest price given there was more than the
highest obtaiued this side of the channel, which
was only ite. 4d. per lb. BesiJes, • the money woe
paid directly after the pnrchase of the commodity."
Mr. C. said, " he knew of one geatlemal only,
who, last year, sent his wool to Ireland, and that
was Mr. Western, the member for Malden, in Es-
sex ; and, although he was so unfortunate as, in the
passage, to have it injured by the saltwater, and
the damage. after its arrival, was estimated at la.
in the lb. yet he sold it at 3s. which was las. per
tod more, after being wet with the salt water, mid
which otherwise would have fetched 4s. per lb."—
Mr. Coke then offered his wool at 60s. per tod,
which sum, if not given in that room, he would
nut accept out of it.
Mr. Coke said, " that the want of discrimination
with the buyers lied arisen from their employing
those known by the name of middle mew, to pur-
chase. by commission, all the wool in separate dis-
tricts. and that each not going out of that district,
they bought what they could, without regarding,
in the samener they ought, the quality. Ile did
not wistreo use a single expression which could be
considered injurious to the buyers of wool, but that
it was his duty also to support the landed interest
of the kingdom, sod he was coovinced, that to
ogriewkore England owedite glory. Would any
one suppose the buyers in lrelaud to be so ignorant
as to give ten or twelve shillings, or more, per tod,
for wool, than it. was really worth ?and did not every
one pTeseut see, that by the conduct of purchasers,
they were, as much as possible, discouraging the
growth of fine wool, and more purticularly by not
paying a proper attention to the quality rather than
the quantity ? ftelative to that of an isif-rior sort,
tile long wool, he was glad to say, that from Mr.

Whitnortlea excellent plan of converting it into
naval and agricultural wits, instead of hemp, it was
rising in price." Mr. Coke concluded by say "it
was the duty of both parties cordially to mute for
the common benefit, and the independence of the
British mation."—We maleist and that.Stib. per ted
was afterwards offered to Mr. Harvey, of Calthorpe,
for the finest wool, but not accepted.