Besides the difference in the mode of conducting the woollen manufacture, which we have explained at con siderable length, there is' also a difference between the Yorkshire and the west of England mode of disposing of the goods when manufactured. In the latter, they are principally sold at markets or fairs; in the former, they are principally sold at what are called cloth-halls, of which there are three at Leeds, besides halls at Brad ford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield, &c. We shall confine our observations to those of Leeds, and to the mode of conducting business in them.
The two principal halls in Leeds are for mixed and white cloth. They are principally distinguished from the third hall, (which was erected about 1795,) by not admitting any manufacturers to expose their goods in them, who have not an apprenticeship to the woollen trade. Formerly a regular apprenticeship of seven years was insisted on ; but now five years are deemed sufficient. The mixed cloth-hall was erected in the year 1758. At first there were only 1557 stands, but afterwards 171 were added, making the total num ber 1728. The original price was 3/. 53. 6d. ; but they have advanced greatly since. The price, however, va ries according to the state of the trade. There are sel dom fewer than 7000 pieces of cloth, and sometimes nearly 20,000 weekly in the coloured cloth-hall.
The white cloth-hall was built in 1775. The number of stands is upwards of 1200 ; but there are many ma nufacturers who have two stands each. In the district round Leeds, it is computed that there are 3500 mas ters who attend both halls; but there are many who have no stands in either hall, but pay 6d. for every fresh cloth ; when a cloth has once paid, it does not pay again, but may be removed to any other part of the market. There are 15 districts belonging to the coloured, and 17 to the white hall, over each of which there is a trustee, who manages the affairs of the district; and in all of whom is lodged the power of directing whatever concerns the halls. These trustees are elected for three years.
These halls consist of long walks or galleries, through out the whole length of which the master manufactu rers have their stands in double rows, each behind his own little division ; his goods being exposed to sale on the stands. Between these rows, the merchants pass along, and make their purchases. At the end of an hour, a bell rings, and the market closes. Such goods as are purchased, are carried to the merchants' houses; the goods that are unsold, remain in the hall till they find a purchaser. Lately, however, the system is in some degree changed; some merchants give samples to the manufacturer, and the goods are brought directly to them, without being exhibited in the. hall. The goods
are Nought in the halls in their undressed state, and un dergo in the working room, or shop of the merchant who purchases them, various processes, till, being complete, they are sent either to the home or foreign market. Sometimes, however, goods are dressed at a stated rate by dressers, who take them in for that purpose.
Although it is totally foreign to the object of this ar ticle to touch upon the nature of the processes through which this or any other manufacture goes, yet we may be allowed to state generally, that almost all the machi nery now used in the woollen manufacture was borrow ed from the cotton manufacture. The spinning jennies were first introduced; next, the slubbing•mill; and, third ly, the carding machine. The spring shuttle was first used in Yorkshire, and afterwards introduced thence into the west of England. On the other hand, the gig mill, which is employed for raising the nap after fulling, was long in use in Gloucestershire, before it was employ ed in Yorkshire, or even in Somersetshire, or Wiltshire.
By the stamping acts, 2d Geo. II. and 5th and 6th Geo. III. returns are ordered to be made every Easter to the justices at Pontefract Sessions, of the quantity of cloth made in the preceding year in the West Riding, accounts being kept at the fulling-mills by officers for that purpose. This law, however, does not extend to kerscymeres, and several other kinds of cloth.
In the following Table is given the returns from the Pontefract Quarter Sessions, down to the present year, from which not only the great increase in the quantity or goods, which conic under the act, may be noticed, but also the greater proportional increase in the quantity of broad cloths.
By the same stamping acts, three sets of officers were appointed to superintend the woollen manufac ture, both in Yorkshire and in the west of England ; but in the west they perform their duty in a very negligent manner, and in Yorkshire they are by no means very strict or careful. These officers are, 1st, the searchers, who measure the cloth at the fulling-mill, after it is fulled, stamp it, and put their seal on it, with the length and breadth, which are entered in a book. After this, the cloorier may take it away. The second set of offi cers are the inspectors, who go among the dressers, in order to see that they do not overstretch the cloth, and restamp them, if materially short or narrow. They also inspect the tenters, and observe that improper cards are not used in dressing the cloths. The last set of officers are the supervisors, who superintend the others. In purchasing cloth, however, the merchant does not con sider himself bound to take the pieces at the length which the searcher has stamped upon them.