WOOLLEN" GOODS. 41 



velupinent of both these branches. After the temporary Ijad trade from 11S75 to 1S77. 

 thei-e was a iieneral revival of Russian industry and trade at the termination of the 

 Rilsso-Turkisli war. and woullfii mills liciian tn work with unusual ener;,'-}', but after 

 ■that time, eommeneing' from the year 188(J. the woollen manufacture beiian to curtail 

 its production, and from KS.S4 to 1886 was in a critical state. 



An especial falling- off was observed, in the manufacture of woollen textures, 

 but at the same time tlie production of napless cloths suffered in a considerably less 

 •degree. This crisis in trade was caused by the mills increasing- their production 

 •disproportionateh' to the demand. There was a surplus of manufactured goods, and 

 these goods, not linding a sale, were thrown on the hands of the manufacturers, Avhich 

 caused a temjtorary stoppage of work in the mills. 



In the eighth decade there were bad crops, even in the best growing districts, 

 ■and this had great influence in reducing the consumption. During this time the Po- 

 lish regions snti'ered, especially Lodz, Zgersch, Tomashov and Pabianitsa. The manu- 

 facture of woollen goods developed considerably in this district during the years 187<) 

 to 1880. the output having increased more than five times. Such a development in 

 production, which was not in proportion to the demand and exceeded the requirements 

 of the most favourable years, called forth a reckless competition between the manu- 

 facturers, and had an etfect on the quality of manufactured goods, cheapness of pro- 

 •tluction being the principal aim, and consequently goods of Polish fabrication lost the 

 reputation they once held. Owing to this departure a considerable amount of shoddy, 

 many times exceeding the quantity made in the whole of the Empire, began to be 

 manufactured in the Polish districts. Small spinning mills prepared the yarn from 

 woollen waste, artificial wool and cotton, and these mills had a great effect 

 in reducing the sale of goods made by large manufacturers of irreproachable 

 integrity. 



The state of trade in 1884 w'as so bad that several mills were closed, and 

 -others reduced the number of working hours. Many hands were thrown out of em- 

 iployment and were only able to exist through the attention given to their condi- 

 tion by the large mill owners, who opened cheap dining rooms and in other ways 

 voluntarily assisted them. 



From tl»e latter part of the year 188(3 an improvement in the woollen manu- 

 facturing industry was noticed, although the improvement w^as comparative!}' slow, and 

 was principally apparent in the manufacture of napless goods, ordinary woollen goods 

 remaining almost in the same condition as in the sixth decade. At the same time 

 it must be acknowledged that the general production during the period 1880 to 1890 

 -tleveloped considerabh-, in comparison with the years 1870 to 1880. (See diagram 

 A, Fig. 1.) 



With reference to the quality of production it must be remarked that great 

 studies and alterations have been made of late years. Up to the commencement of 

 ■the eighth decade, as is seen by glancing at the diagram, both branches of the 

 woollen industry, the fabrication of cloth and the making of napless woollen and half 

 woollen textnres, developed parallel with each other. At the end of the seventh decade, 

 ^oth branches acquired a considerable increase, and then the manufacture of cloth fell 

 rapidly, but at the same time that of napless goods, which at the present time does 

 .not full}' comply with the demand, remained almost unaltered. Thus, of late years an 



