84 



Supply of Undressed Sheepskins. 



1 88 1 the number of sheep returned as slaughtered or died 

 was 10,357,000. In 1882 and 1883 there was a slight 

 decrease, but in 1884 and 1885 the numbers rose to 

 10,660,000 and 11,795,000. During the years 1886- 1889 

 there was again a downward tendency, but this was 

 followed by a sharp rise, which culminated in a total of 

 13,883,000 for 1892. In 1894 the number was 11,653,000, 

 showing an increase of 1,296,000 on the return for 1 881. 

 The export trade in British sheepskins fluctuated consi- 

 derably throughout the period in question. A steady 

 decline from 9,125,120 in 1881 to 3,669,368 in 1885 was 

 followed by an equally steady increase to 8,004,674 in 1888, 

 but from this year an opposite movement appears to have 

 set in, and in 1894 the numbers had fallen to 3,497,273. 



Turning to the foreign supply we find that while there 

 were 6,475,264 skins imported in 1881 there were no less than 

 8,165,718 imported in 1882. From 1882-1889 the numbers 

 remained practically stationary, but in the latter year 

 there was a further increase to 11,302,380, as against 

 8,926,077 in 1888. Since 1889 there has been a steady 

 rise, and in 1894 the import figures amounted to 13,851,508. 

 The trade in skins from France, Germany, and Turkey 

 would appear to have fallen off somewhat, but on the 

 other hand there has been an increased supply 

 from Russia, the United States, Argentine Republic, South 

 Africa, and Australia. In the two latter countries the deve- 

 lopment of the trade has been most marked, and in 1894 they 

 contributed between them no less than five-sevenths of the 

 total number imported. In 1881 there were 1,123,028 foreign 

 skins re-exported from the United Kingdom. From that 

 year the numbers rose and fell alternately, until in 1888 a 

 steady rise commenced, and a total of 4,589,135 was reached 

 in 1894. It is worthy of note that these fluctuations are very 

 similar to those which took place in the import trade. There 

 is the same increase in 1882 as compared with 1881, the same 

 stagnation during the years 1882- 1888, and the same increase 

 during the years 1888- 1894. 



The price of foreign skins has fallen materially of recent 

 3^ears. In 1881 their average value, lambs and sheep, was 



