WOOLLEN GOODS. 51 



As is seen from the foreg-oing- data tlie nianutacturt' of cloth should occupy tin- 

 first place in respect to the amount of yearly tuinover. As reg^ards <iuality. this 

 branch of the industry is principally devoted to the production of goods of medium 

 fineness, although at the same time there are many manufactoiies in Russia producing 

 fine cloths in no way inferior to those of foreign make. The cloth industry is almost 

 wholly supplied by yarns of home manufacture. Carded wool spinneries are principalh- 

 situated near the weaving mills. 



There are no very large mills that make spinning a specialty, but there are 

 many small ones engaged in the preparation of yarns for coarse and medium kinds 

 of textures. The manufacture of napless goods is noticeably developing. For a long 

 time this branch of the industry was in an inactive condition, in consequence of a 

 considerable part of the necessary material, combed yarn having to be imported. As 

 has been before mentioned, up to the present time considerable progress has been 

 made in combed wool spinning, and the wool-weaving industry becomes yearly more 

 and more independent of foreign manufacturers. 



In the foregoing data relating to wool spinning, a considerable part of the 

 output should be apportioned to the preparation of combed yarns. Then with the given 

 statistics it is possible to judg-e what progress has been made during the period 1880 

 to 1889 in combed wool spinning. The majority of the spinning mills, started of late 

 years, managed, at least at the beginning, without wool-washing and combing estab- 

 lishments, receiving wool in the combed state from abroad, a natural state of affairs. 

 The preparation of combed yarns is without doubt considered by all as a very com- 

 plicated process. Washing and combing operations require quite as much capital as 

 wool spinning. Therefore the division of this manufacture into two special branches, 

 the same as abroad, is desirable. Eussian combed wool spinning consists of about 150,000 

 spindles capable of producing 300,000 pounds of yarn per year, which amount is in- 

 sufficient to supply the wants of the wool-weaving industry. The import of various 

 yarns of late years has been 180,000 pounds, consisting principally of combed yarn. 



Relying on the example of the west, one would think that the first aim of 

 the industry should be the development of spinning mills, even without combing de- 

 partments, to such an extent as to make them capable of adequately supplying the 

 home demand for combed yarn. As soon as wool spinning reaches this state the 

 second endeavour should be to make this a home branch of the industry in all its 

 stages. For this, first of all, capital is required for the erection of spinning mills 

 and when competition arises amongst producers of combed yarn within the Empire, 

 then by gradually checking the import of foreign combed wool, spinning mills may 

 be directed to the using principally of Russian wools, for the preparation is not of 

 all kiuds of yarn, at any rate those below AA. When such a state of things has 

 arrived it may be expected that an independent industry of wool scouring and com- 

 bing will gradually arise in Russia, and that Russian wool will be exported, not 

 only in the raw, but in a half-fabricated state, scoured and combed. 



As regards other branches of the woollen industry, devoted to the production 

 of carpets, felt and knitted goods, the output is not of much consequence. It is true, 

 these products partly form articles of rustic trade; for instance, in the government 

 of Viatsk cheap carpets and rugs are manufactured in considerable quantities and 

 find a sale in carriage-building establishments and at tlie Xizhni-Xovgorod fair; in 



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