in Bradford. It must not be supposed, however, that the piece merchant is merely a middleman between the producer and the customer. In Bradford the merchant undertakes many of the functions of the producer. Frequently he not only suggests the fabric to be made, but, on receiving the goods from the manufacturer, generally in the state in which they leave the loom, orders them to be dyed, embroidered, or otherwise treated in such styles as his experience teaches him will suit the numerous markets with which he trades. If time permitted, I could show that in several cases Bradford merchants were the means of introducing new fabrics which at the time gave a distinct impetus to the Bradford trade.

Piece merchants may be divided into two great classes, viz. home trade merchants and export (or foreign) merchants. The functions of each class are to a certain extent alike, the main distinction between the two being that the former confines his operations to the four divisions of the United Kingdom, whilst the latter deals only with countries outside our own borders. Some piece merchants do both a home and a foreign trade, whilst others (engaged in the foreign trade chiefly) deal not only in pieces, but in yarns and tops as well. In such cases, however, the different branches of trade are kept quite distinct, and are usually carried on under separate management.

The home trade merchant buys from the manufacturer, and, by means of travellers, each of whom takes a certain district, sells to warehousemen and wholesale dealers in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and other parts of the country. These warehousemen re-sell the goods to drapers and retailers generally in all parts of the kingdom; it thus frequently happens that goods manufactured in Bradford are forwarded to London, and are bought there and brought back to Bradford by

local dealers. The home trade merchant, as a rule, holds large stocks, so as to be in a position to supply his customers at short notice.

The export merchant likewise buys the pieces direct from the manufacturers, and after having had them dyed and finished, etc., and made up to suit the foreign market, exports them to foreign countries, the Colonies, etc.

The following table, giving the values of the exports of woollen and worsted goods to the principal countries abroad, shows how the export trade in pieces has changed during the last thirty years.

EXPORTS OF WOOLLEN AND WORSTED TISSUES (VALUES).

The figures for 1873, however, are not absolutely reliable, and in comparing the two years it should also be borne in mind that prices in 1902 were very much lower-probably 50 per cent. lower-than in 1873. Yorkshire goods, and especially Bradford goods, have been the sport of tariff-makers nearly all the world over, and this table shows the result. With a fair field and no favour, Yorkshire merchants and manufacturers together could compete with any other place in the world; but the prohibitive tariffs now in force in many countriessome of which were formerly our best customers— effectually exclude the bulk of our productions. Thus, whilst we imported last year from France alone £4 millions worth of dress-stuffs similar to those made in Bradford, all we could manage to send to that country in return was about £700,000 worth, this being due, of course, to the prohibitive import duties.

The value of the woollen and worsted goods produced in the United Kingdom is about £58 millions, of which about £42 millions must be credited to Yorkshire. The turn-over in Bradford of wool and its manufactures amounts to about £100 millions.

With the exception of the wool-combing and the dyeing, with which I will deal immediately, the concerns in the various branches of trade which I have described are carried on by private firms. Some of these, it is true, have been converted into limited companies; but in the spinning, weaving, and merchanting there has been no syndicating, as in the two branches just named. Some years ago, when combinations were in the air, attempts were made to form a combination of fine spinners and another of fancy manufacturers, but they did not succeed.

The first large combination in Yorkshire was the Bradford Dyers' Association. I will leave this for the

present. The British Cotton and Wool Dyers' Association followed. This association has a capital of £3 millions, and includes forty-five firms, i.e. the majority of the concerns in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Scotland engaged in "slubbing" (i.e. wool or "top" dyeing) and yarn dyeing. A further dyeing combination was the Yorkshire Indigo, Scarlet, and Colour Dyers' Association, which includes all the firms in that special branch. The Yorkshire Woolcombers' Association, which has figured so prominently in the newspapers of late, was formed in 1899. It absorbed thirtyeight combing establishments in Bradford and district, and has a capital of about £2 millions. The work is done entirely on commission.

The Bradford Dyers' Association was formed in 1897. It has a capital of £4,250,000. It has absorbed thirty-five separate businesses, and has practically secured a monopoly of the Bradford piece-dyeing business. The combination was formed with a view to putting an end to the ruinous competition that had previously prevailed, and placing the dyeing trade on a more profitable basis. At the same time the originators of the combination declared that they had no intention of raising prices to the detriment of the trade. This association is the only really successful combination in the Yorkshire textile trade.

The fear that the Association having "a giant's strength" might "use it like a giant " led to the formation a few months ago of the Bradford Piece-dyeing Board-a body composed of representatives of the Bradford Dyers' Association and representatives of their customers. The Board consists of twenty-three members, twenty elected by the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, and three by the Dyers' Association. The functions of the Board are (1) to adjust and settle differences arising

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between the Bradford Dyers' Association and its customers, which may be referred to the Board for settlement, and (2) the consideration of questions affecting the relationships between the Association and its customers or their mutual interests.

of

In the rules it is provided that the voting power each side should be equal, and that in case of disagreement each side may meet separately to discuss the matter in dispute. If on coming together again the two sides cannot agree, the matter is to be referred to a standing arbitrator. Several matters have been brought before the Board, but these have been adjusted without having to make use of the services of the standing arbitrator.

The Board has been in existence for so short a time that it can hardly be said to have emerged from the experimental stage yet, but it possesses great possibilities, providing as it does the means of ventilating grievances and remedying such grievances before they have reached an acute stage.

I should add that in connection with the Bradford Dyers' Association there is a Wages Board, on which both the Association and the workmen's societies are represented. This Board not only fixes standard rates of wages for the different branches of dyeing work, but also considers other matters affecting the industry. By its means many questions have been amicably discussed and settled, any one of which might otherwise have given rise to serious friction, or even to strikes and lockouts.

Before leaving this part of my subject, I should like to refer to three other institutions in Bradford, which, though not part of the textile industries, are yet closely connected with them. I refer to the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, the Bradford Conditioning House, and the Bradford Board of Conciliation.