The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-08
CAPTURING GERMAN TRADE.
Or. Oberfohren's Figures Seem to
show England's Failure In Cotton.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: For
more than "A century the mainstay or
British industry and has been
the cotton trade. The manufacture and
sale of cotton goods represents the great
est industry of Great Britain and has
n decisive influence upon the economic
situation of the whole country In gen
eral and OF the populous district OF
Lancashire In particular. Boom or
slump in the cotton trade Is universally
regarded AZ the best thermometer for
highlands Industrial situation. The
vicissitudes OF this traded during the last
fifteen months can therefore be consid-
cred as representative of England's in
dustrial and commercial course during
this period.
rhe cotton trade was the principal
market In which the realization OF the
British war cry Capture German
trade" was confidently expected. IT was
Lancashire's hope that Germany's ex-
ports would be rapidly and completely
supplanted by English goods. This hope
has been sorely disappointed. Not only
has 1t been impossible to conquer new
markets for English products but the
English exports In 1915 have been
! smaller than they have ever been dur
Ing the last twenty years.
During the twelve months ended De-
cember 81. 1913. more than 1000, 100000
yards of cotton goods were exported In
, 1914 the English exports sank TO
., 1905 900, 900 yards and in 1915 to
4.700.O 900. 900 yards. That is a decrease
Of $500. 900. 900 yards, or 30 per cent.
within two years. n most remarkable
record for an industry which boosted of
an unlimited supply OF raw material and
of the open markets Of the world. It's
Psychologist effect IL evident In n state
nent mad In the Economist of January
- that the general demand In piece
goods was very disappointing through
out the year" and business az usual" is
not evidenced by the statement that
manufacturers ound II most difficult
TO secure profitable rates" In view OF
the fact that Lancashire is dependent
upon India to take off a large proper
ton of the looms. and when that market
fails 20 give support healthy trade can
! not be expected 1t must he dishearten-
ing TO the Lancashire man to witness the
decrease in the Indian trade. Bengal
took 37S.000 900 Yards less than In 1914;
Bombay 245 900. 600 yards less Madras
90. 900 900 yards less Burma 22,00o,000
yards less: Dutch East India $4,000, 900
yards less.
Not only the yardage of the English
cotton export but also its value de-
creased considerably. In 1913 the cot
ton export Represented the sum Of
f125.oO0. 900; in 1914 it sank to fl03,-
100000. and in 1915 to fs6.000.o0 Ac-
cordingly the decrease was $4,000. goo
within two years. y single industry
that loses exports amounting yearly to
approximately 5000. 900, 900 can certainly
not say that It's business is as usual or
that It Is capturing new markets.
Nor do the export statistics OF the
current year show great evidence Of re-
covery. There are a few Items in which
the sales have gone up during the first
three months. such as blcached and
printed piece goods. However. COM
pared with the exports OF 1874 the fig
urcs for tho current year fall even IN
these branches far short from normal.
of hleached cotton goods. for example.
1870. 600 600 yards less have been sold
in the iirs; three months Of 1916 than
two years ago. while printed cotton goods
show n decrease o. more than loo ,u00.-
600 yards for the anne period. The sales
Of all other Ind Of cotton goods AVE
remained on the low level Of 1915 or
have even zone lower. The decrease Of
the import OF raw cotton into the United
Kingdom follows a similar scale. In
the first three months of 1916 only
I 1000. 900 cwt. Of cotton was imported.
compared to $4,000 cwt In the same
period in 1918. That means a decrease
Of on.o GOO cwt.. or nearly one-third.
All this evidence admits Of n conclusion
as 10 the precar!nus situation OF the
English cotton industry. ard the latest
reports say that manufacturers II
have closed sheds and stopped looms
are not disposed to start work again until
there Is definite evidence Of a revival Of
demand" How inactive the market ia
Mt the present time is best brought home
10y n quotation from the London Ecoro-
mist Of April 5. which sum the situation
up In the following way: