  The following pages represent an attempt to compile, primarily for the benefit of members of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service, descriptions of cotton, woollen, and other fabrics, their weaves and finishes, etc., together with other information concerning terms currently used in the piece goods trade which are likely to be met with in invoices, applications, or contracts. This manual does not embrace all textiles known to the trade, but it does cover all those enumerated in the "Revised Import Tariff for the Trade of China," as well as many others. As far as possible the commonly accepted trade name has been used. It should, however, be borne in mind that many fabrics are known in the trade by a variety of names, so that one branch of the trade may not recognise a name applied to the same fabric by another branch. The descriptions have been built up from information obtained first hand from practical weavers, manufacturers, wholesale and retail merchants, buyers, etc., as well as from personal visits to mills in the Manchester and Huddersfield districts, and from standard works on weaving. To Mr. G. W. Shaw, of Botham Hall, Huddersfield, I am indebted for introductions to the principal manufacturers in that district, enabling me to go through such mills as those of Mr. A. Whitwam and Messrs. Godfrey Sykes, where every phase of manufacture from raw material to finished goods was shown and explained with characteristic Yorkshire thoroughness. I am indebted for either information or actual samples, or both, to:— Mr. A. F. H. Baldwin, American Commercial AttachÉ, London. John Bright & Bros., Limited, Rochdale. Mr. A. J. Brook, Huddersfield. Mr. C. W. Bunn, Deputy Appraiser, New York. Mr. F. Chitham, Director, Selfridge & Co., Limited, London. Mr. W. E. Dale-Shaw, Huddersfield. Drey, Simpson, & Co., Limited, Stockport. "Dry Goods Economist," New York. W. & C. Dunlop, Bradford. Fisher & Co., Huddersfield. Mr. W. R. Gandell, Board of Trade, London. Horrockses, Crewdson, & Co., Limited, Preston. W. G. Humphreys & Co., London. Mr. A. F. Kendrick, Board of Education, London. The London Chamber of Commerce. McCaw Allan & Co., Lurgan. Selfridge & Co., Limited, London. Mr. A. Sutton, Piece Goods Expert, Board of Trade, London. Tanner Bros., Greenfield. Mr. F. Walker, Huddersfield. William Watson & Co., London. Alfred Young & Co., Limited, London. The Board of Trade (through their Piece Goods Expert, Mr. A. Sutton), John Bright & Bros., Limited, and Selfridge & Co., Limited, realising the value of classified information concerning descriptions of piece goods, have very kindly supplied me with ranges of samples. The following works have been consulted, and their contents have materially assisted me. I take the opportunity of acknowledging my indebtedness to their authors, as well as to those of any other works consulted but which may have been omitted from this list:— "Analysis of Woven Fabrics," by A. F. Barker and E. Midgley. Bennett's "Glossary of Fabrics." "Cotton," by R. J. Peake. "Cotton Goods in China," by Ralph M. Odell, U.S. Commercial Agent. "How to Buy and Judge Materials," by H. B. Heylin. House of Representatives Document No. 643 (Report of Tariff Board on Schedule 1 of the Tariff Law). "Silk," by L. Hooper. "Textiles," by William H. Dooley. "Textiles," by Paul H. Nystrom, Ph.D. "The Cotton Weaver's Handbook," by H. B. Heylin. The Cotton Year Book. "The Draper's Dictionary," by S. William Beck. The Wool Year Book. "Wool," by J. A. Hunter. I wish specially to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. A. Sutton, Piece Goods Expert to the Board of Trade, London, for having perused the manuscript of the "Piece Goods Manual" and for the painstaking manner in which he pointed out where modifications were advisable. His suggestions have enabled me to revise definitions so as to make them agree with accepted trade interpretations. A. E. BLANCO. London, 1915-16. |
|
