ON THE HECENT REVIVAL IN TRADE. 



439 



iron figures for very nearly one-tbird of tlie whole year's gain, viz., 8-44Z. 

 out of 27Z., and cotton piece goods for 7-30Z., or one-fourth. Of the gain 

 in iron, one-tenth only is due to price, whilst cotton goods have sold for a 

 trifle less than the previous price. On the other hand, cotton yarn has 

 decreased in quantity but somewhat gained in price, and woollen piece 

 goods, though increasing 13 per cent, in quantity have fallen 4 per cent, 

 in price. 



Taking the whole of the exports together, these figures establish the 

 fact that the very low prices of manufactured goods which prevailed in 

 the latter part of 1878 and the earlier part of 1879, have continued to 

 rule since that time ; and that for very nearly all the addition to the values 

 of that which left our shores before the revival, we have had to give extra 

 quantities, the advantage in point of prices obtained having been incon- 

 siderable. If, therefore, the business of selling has yielded any better 

 return, it must have been because the manufacturer received less ; and if 

 the manufacturer gained at all, it must have been either from the lesser 

 value of money or a reduction in the wages of his labourers. Further, as 

 will be shown in dealing with the imports, in the cost of the raw materials 

 from abroad from which most of our textile fabrics are woven there has 

 been, especially in cotton, a decided increase. 



Turning now to the imports, and separating those retained at home 

 from those re-exported, we find a total value of about 347,000,000^, as 

 against 293,000,000^. in 1879. Abstracting, as with the exports, the chief 

 articles, and classifying them according to their uses, the following figures 

 present themselves : — 



