New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-14


right cause Ii is an alarming fact for any nation
to be met with the startling figures that in one
branch of industry, that of wOrsted yarns and
stuffs the expectations from the country have de-
clIned from S135, 900, 900 IN 1872 to $S1, 100000
for the year just closed Not only has Bradford
lost great part of the foreign, but it has failed to
retain its hold of the home, trade. Innumerable
causes have been given for this decline. Short
hours hostile foreign tariffs, want of taste and
skill on the manufacturers part lack of enterprise
on the merchants part, insufficient distributive
system, lack of character in the dyeng; and lastly.
Parliament has become alarmed at the general con-
dtiOn of manufactures throughout the Empire,
and q commission has been appointed to look into
the question of Technical Education, aud that is
brought forward by some as sure panaoea for the
evil.
To understand the trade of Bradford il is neces-
sary TO have general idea of the divisions of what
genericaly speaking may be called the woollen
trade Leeds il should be remembered, manufac-
lures every variety of woollen cloth produced in
England, and, while Bradford makes some cloth,
its speciality has always been what is called the
worsted trade, including wOrSted yarns. wOrsted
stuhs for ladies' dresses. such Orleans and Co
burgs, also alpaca mOhar goods and all sorts OF
mixed stutfs. The Huddersfeld trade is similar to
that OF Leeds while Halifax is given over more to
carpets, window curtains, damasks, and in short
to what may be termed a subdivision of the Brad
ford trade. 1t will be seen at once that the all
wool trade, embracing mostly mems cloth goods
would be subject to less fiuctuation through
fashion than that of dress goods for womens wear
and hence that the Leeds and Huddersheld trade
would be more staple than that of Bradford and
Halifax. Dewsbury and Bailey are largely gwen
over to the shoddy and mungo trade, and, though
n of
dismissed in the consideration of the Bradford
branch of this industry. 1t is fact worth record
ing that while the expectation of worsted goods
from the Kingdom has declined $j4OOO.O0Oin the
last decade lii articles for mems wear Tor woollen
manufactured the manufacturers have not only
held their own at home but have increased the for
eign trade of Great Britain in woolen cloths from
$35 900. 900 IN 1872 to $4S,000.OOO in 1Ssl-an
increase of S13 900, 900. Mr.. Thomas IlingwOrth,
of Bradford thinks that this fact does not show a
lack of skill or taste, and thinks that the decline i'll
the worsted trade may be traced to the fact that
Bradford founded its prestige on the successful
combination of cotton warps with yarns spun from
English and other long-stapled woods. At that
time woods of the merino kind were scarce, and
the supply came chiefly from Spain and Germany.
The Australian colonies had not then startled the
world by their wonderful development OF the sheep
industry, which practically changed the wooilen
trade and the sheep industry in our own country
wasut in its infancy and had not grown to ITS pres
ent magnitude. Ii was at this time. when all-wool
goods made from the soft marinO woods were very
dear that Bradford instead OF slowly drifting with
the trade in all-wool goods, and changing from
English 10 foreign wOols CLOSE rather to cast its
fortune with an entirely new industry, and for a
time it must be confessed, the manufacturers rcaped
a rich harvest. Bradford changed from worsted 70
cotton warps. The dearnesS and scarcity OF all
wool fabrics gave a great stimulus To the Bradford
trade GIANT mills were built and millions OF capt
tai were invested. Under this stimulus Sir Titus
salt erected what may be well termed palace OF
industry. and founded a town. not less remarkable
than Pullman, now called Saltaire. The immense
factory was opened amid the merry peals of the
shipley church bells, and the discharge of orii-
nance in front of the works welcomed the guests TO
= Grand banquet EsTls and Lords made eP"eei'e-,
and the new era Of alpacas and mohalrs was
ushercd in with such songs rs;
From Peru be has brought the Alpaca
Prom Asia's plains the MOhsr;
with skill has wrought bot into beauty,
Priced much by the wealthy ana lar.
he has Nelyets, and Camlets, ana l.ustTe';
Win them there II none can compare;
Then OF. of, with yOur bats ana your bOnnelHi
An! hurrab for the LOrt OF Saltahe.
Econ Charles Dickens celebrated Sir Titus by
making him the subject OF sketch in Hoaschod
Words But after % generation Of great success the
Bradford people no longer hurrah for the Lord OF
Saltaire" bnt will tell you the trade he started was
but temporary one, the prosperity Visionary NJ
least for the second generation, and that 10 10 one
WAS the trade of Bradford more indebted for its eS-
tranaement from al-wool fabrics than To Sir Titus
salt In to 1886 the Bradford worscd trade hal a
run OF success and TO this time It's fabrics were
made wholly of wool. In 1888 cotton warps he
came a feature in the Bradford trade Inc VI
leans cloth seems TO have been the first standard
product. From this time the manufacture OF all
wool Goods declined and by 1915 The town had en-
tirely ceased to cultivate the trade. As nave
shown the use Of cotton warps received great I'M
nrtus when the late SIR Titus salt iulY oNeicalhc
Inc difficulties of preparing ara spinning aIPdca
wool and combining IL viii COTTON warp 80 W.
have seen. he took advantage OF lHe uulsi'ioi W
the Bradford trade from worsted 10 Gotton mniIs
AZ one time Sir Titus Salt was the Only SPINNER 81
olnaca wei i'm Bradford. With the Introduction OF
alpacas the trade in colt warp ihbflcs was IulA
established Spnners leit on sPlnnu,nE 60
Nyarps and the trade almost entirely changed rom
"all-wool to "mlXed " goods OF cOtieh anu
wOrsled. e. ,,.o. ~,
,oTaj mia comnetinon with the Bradford people on
mi ed goods but kept on steadily Improving anu
nbcanenIng The production Of all-woOl materials
They had faith III the soit goous' Ho Jtinn Of
1851 admitted the sOflnesS ana DflllahcF oi W az
paca and mOhsir manufactures carried on ~ pihu-
lord and Blnglcv, and The huprrOIiiN OF ~ llon
.n,.hinatious of wool aud cutton but wlile IeaV-
inc bradford the enjoyment OF this new INDUSTRY
the Continent renamed loyal to all-w2Gl Ia9Lics
maintaining their superiority III these EVetyth
~eni ALONG swimmingly III Bradford while the
BradfordiaTs were making one material and the
French another. 49,, l.. i,i,o
tions of silk by reason Of novelty these gooOs at
| first commanded large sale. But as these goods
| lost their hold the popular tastc mI' lli'is
| worth saws the great aim seems to have been 10
make an imitation of an imitation: in other words
| 10 run down prices One firm produced an artlce'
| ard l,a "a ~
| other producing an imitation at 3D. while he III
| turn would find Ingenious imltator at 32a'
| The trade naturally deterlOrated and the ire
| mcndous increase in production of the finer WoCis
| i'm south America and Australia, combined with the
great improvements in machinery and the cheapness
| of Continental labor, had constant tendency W