The Woollen and Worsted Industries. By J. H. Clapham. (Methuen
and Co. 6s.)—There is much in this volume which is beyond the purview of a reviewer. The materials, the machinery employed, the processes, and methods generally of the manufactures may be taken for granted. Professor Clapham does not claim to have made this portion of his book complete, but it is only the expert who will know where his explanations and descriptions fall short. When we reach, however, the fourth chapter, "Industrial and Commercial Organization," we come upon a topic in which all may feel an interest. The same may be said of those that follow,—" Labour in the Industries," " Tho Industries Abroad," and " Imports and Exports." One of the most striking portions of the book is p. 272, giving "A Summary of Factory Laws Affecting the Woollen and Worsted Industries." The age- limit of workers is twelve in all European countries but Germany, where it is thirteen, and Switzerland, where it is fourteen. Germany- limits the week's work for children to thirty-six hours, England's maximum being thirty-two and a half. Switzerland, on the other hand, allows sixty-five hours, Holland sixty-six, Belgium sixty-seven and a half, France sixty. The hours for women and young persons are fifty-five and a half here, and range elsewhere from sixty in France to seventy-two in Italy. Belgium is the only country which does not forbid night- work to women; but it limits the age to twenty-one, allowing sixteen as the initial age to men. On the whole, the regulations are more favourable to labour here than anywhere else. The export list is full of interesting figures. In 1871-75 the average export of yarn was 40,100,000 pounds ; in 1902-6, 74,600,000. None go to the United States, which imposes a duty of 14d. a pound and 40 per cent. ad valorem. Canada puts on 20 or 30 per cent., according to quality, but reduces this to 121 and 20 per cent. for British goods. The trade is increasing. As to imports, France holds easily the first place. Professor Clapham thus describes them " Immense consignments of stuffs of every grade, the finest and most workmanlike, the flimsiest and most specious, all attractive, and many beautifully dyed and finished ; no cloths worth mentioning the trade ebbs and flows with the ebb and flow of fashion ; but France who makes so many of the fashions can generally profit by them." It will be interesting to give a list of the counties in which the manufacture is carried on. The total for Great Britain is 259,909 persons engaged. The West Riding heads the list with 187,264. Then come fifteen Scotch counties with a total of 22,489, Selkirk being at the top with 4,782. Among English counties we have Worcester, 7,263 ; Gloucester, 3,275 ; Leicester, 2,869 ; Wiltshire, 2,140; Somerset, 1,961; Devon, 1,224; Warwick, 1,101; eleven counties have less than 1,000, while twenty-two counties have none at all. All the Welsh counties have some, Carmarthen heading the list with 660, and Anglesea being last with 23.
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