240 



Wool Trade of Germany. 



Wool Trade of Germany in 1900. 



H.M. Consul-General at Hamburg states that the total 

 importation of raw wool into Germany in 1900 was 21 per 

 cent, smaller than in 1899; and while the imports of textile 

 goods showed an increase of 1 r per cent, last year, the 

 importations of woollen yarns experienced a decrease 

 of 6'5 per cent, as compared with 1899. As was to be 

 expected, trade with Cape Colony suffered severely from the 

 effects of the war in South Africa, and only 80,000 bales of 

 Cape wool were imported into Germany in 1900, as against 

 155,000 bales in 1899. 



The export of raw wool from Germany was about 

 8 per cent, less than in 1 899 ; woollen yarns were exported 

 in about the same quantity, but the exports of woollen textile 

 goods showed a falling-off of about 2 per cent. 



Though the importance of the German woollen industry, in 

 so far as regards the quantity of raw wool consumed in that 

 country, is not equal to that of the United Kingdom, it is 

 not very far behind the latter. The average annual con- 

 sumption of raw wool in both countries, calculated according 

 to the quantity respectively produced, imported and exported 

 during the last five years, is estimated as follows, viz. : — 





United Kingdom. 



Germany. 



Production ------- 



Imports - - 



Total 



Exports- - - . - 



Consumption 



Cwts. 

 1,230,000 

 6,630,000 



Cwts. 

 430,000 

 3,410,000 



7,860,000 

 3,200,000 



3,840,000 

 190,000 



4,660,000 



3,650,000 



These figures show that the German consumption of 

 wool is almost three-quarters of the extent of the British. 

 But whilst the United Kingdom is able to supply more than 

 26 per cent, of its total wool consumption from its domestic 

 production, German sheep-breeding is only able to 

 furnish about 12 per cent, of the quantity of wool consumed 

 annually in that country. The number of sheep in the 



