The sun., 1899-04-02
British Machinery Exports and the Textile
Trades.

The manufacturers Of cotton. woollen. linen
and silk goods in the United Kingdom are be-
coming greatly exercised over the large
amount OF machinery for textile purposes that
is being sent to other countries. whore its prod
uctS are supplantng and competing with IN"
goods at one time imported from England. The
total value of tho machinery exported during
1893 was Sn1 800. $3.50. Of which steam engines
stood for SlS. 157.44O. The value Of the textile
machinery was S33.OO5.3SO: the remaining
$40. $50 representing machinery of all
kinds. much OF it rcproductivc-that is. for
making other machinery.
or the textile machinery n good deal went TO
Germany Russia and France. some to India
and Jaran and a smaller quantity to China.
That which went to Eastern countries. being
for the production OF the lower grades Of yarns
and cloths that are only produced in small
Gnantities IN England. does n@t eXct" so much
is going to til" European countries that is dam
g"rous to Engands teNtil" exports. 1t is in
hitherto supplied from England. and to COM
pete with them in the markets where h she has
value Of the textile machinery exported from
hHngand lEmr4Psan ms countries took nearly two
As vet Russia has not become scriouS
competitor. her compotition. outside Of the
home market being confined TO Central Asia.
but in the home market q good deal of injury
is being done TO English trade in certain limos.
The countries from which the most serious
and France: aud the rivalry Of our own cotton
goods in the Central and South American mar
kcts and In China. where they have a high
reputation. is seriously affecting British trade
with those countries.
What makes the look fCr the British tex
tile industries so menacinR is that the exports
Of that particular kind Of machinery are annu-
ally increasing; showing that the competition
remedy presents itself short of prohibiting tn"
trade n textile machinery. which is not po,si-
special Commissioner out to South America to
look into the conditions and prospects, Of
first report comes from Hraail. and is tho re-
verse q encouraging He throws n" ham"
nS nSG Th%n II in BaG BrHG Ts the
| trader. who negI"cts the first and most obNio
ITeIuirement for success, tha, OF present,
iG Ensana stll 'R"d" fS NvId, 'G but Is "siHg ]
pert in, mqnufacruring them .thems"ly"s
| Generally. tho British Commissioner points
out that, there is hardly,a line Of trade in which
| England Is not losing, Even the favort" chilled
| shot from Newcastle is giving way To- cheaper
product from this country, There iS only one
| remedy, which Is the fraudulent us" "f English
trade labels and the imitation Of som" classes
Of goods. The laws against tins ar" strong {;
| but they are SO costly TO enforce that they are
practcalIva dead letter and Sc, h"twc"p tho
| TO obtain the protection OF tho law; British
trade with Brazil is in bad way At the same
| time there seems no reason why our own
traders should leave the lield entirely to tho
| Germans and Belgans.
| The decline in the Irish linen trade is ser riOuS
| and is giving much anxiety in tn" north Of
! ireland, particularly in Belfast ts principal
| seat, The trade il passing away I" Germany
| and Austria, aud is making considerable urCg-
| r"sS in Mexico. One reason assigned for the
falling away ~ the demand for Irish linen, IS
| the mixture Of cotton in the linen fabrics hy
| the manufacturers Though no doubt this had
something to do with, il, there ar" other rca-
| sons of a commercial and economic nature.
| The character and rnpaInpSS Dt the labor IN
| southern Germany and Austria also counted
| for something.