Attention is again "being called in the London Press to the adulteration of English Pieces Goods. Captain Gill, R.E., in a lett.x to The Times argues that "a change in the English: cotton manufactures hag Decome necessary if it is desired to, keep up the trade, which, owing to the inferior class of goods exported from Manchester, is fant paming into American bands, Ale though English calico was seen in shops far from the coast as Ch'eng Tu, the people in the interior generally wear nothing but the strong cotton they weave themselves, because they find it cheaper in the long run." The results of a continuance of the production of shoddy, Captain Gill foresees, will end in no market for the article, depression of trade, reduction of wages, strikes, and riots. The Pall Mall Gazette, writing on the same subject, points out that at the time of the strikes in Northeast Lancashire, the workmen urged that one great cause of the depressed state of trade was adulteration, for which the masters and not the hands were responsible, It seems that adulteration is still practised by many Lancashire manufacturers, in spite of the reiterated warnings of the Press and of officials in China, in spite of the loss which frequently results through mildew, and in spite of the fact—patent to all observers—that their hold on the markets of the Far East is loosening. Meanwhile the New England manufacturers are sending into the Chinese market cotton goods free 37 from the racking which gives some Lancashire fabrics. a factitious value, at such prices as to ensure a sale. The present condition of the cotton trade in England is sufficiently depressed to cause manufac: turers uneasiness, and how any of them can persevere in such a fatuous course a adulteration it is difficult to understand, The China clay is readily detected, the imposition is apparent to all who deal in goods, anit overisiog i known. cause deterioration. The only explanation for such a practice is that the makers hope by giving more sapere weight to their goods to gain an advantage over compet tors who disdain to employ any artifices of the kind, But such a policy is no less short-sighted than it is unworthy, and speedily brings its own retribution. Unfortunately, however, all the British cotton manufacturers suffering some degree through this adulteration, a hag served to creta inthe minds of those who have been dor judice against the Manchester goo
ceived by the inferior cottons palmed off upon them before. It is high time that the at Lancashire cotton manufacturers united to put a stop to a custom go injurious to their interests, and if necessary to call in the aid of legislation to protect them. Foreign competition they expect to'meet, and it will be their own fault any other country ousts them from any particular market; but this adulteration is an insidious opponent in their own cam which they must put down. It is not fair competition, and while those who practise fail utterly to secure markets for their own rubbish, they excite distrust of their brother manufacturers' goods. The difficulties under which producers in Lancashire labour are neither few nor small at the present time, when raw cotton and Jabour are both dear and manufactured goods are cheaper. If the Lancashire manufacturers wish to retain a permanent hold on the Eastern markets, they must do something to recover the lost prestige of their goods.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.