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CLASS XII.
HE PORT ON WOOLLEN AND WORSTED MANUFACTURES.
[The figures after the Names (between parentheses) refer to the Exhibitors’ Numbers and to the Pages in theOfficial Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue.]
J ury.
Dr. Von* IIf.rrmann*. Chairman , Munich ; Privy Councillor in Finance Department.
Henry Forbes, J. P., Deputy-Chairman , Bradford; Merchant .
Samuel Addington, Reporter, 105 St. Marrin’s Lane ; "Woollen Merchant,
Henry Brett, Wood Street, Chcapsidc; Woollen Merchant.
C. C. Carl,* Zollverein ; Manufacturer.
John Cooper, J. I\, Leeds; Woollen Merchant and Manufacturer.
George Lawton, Mecklehurst, near Ashton-under-Lyne ; Flannel Manufacturer.
Thomas Marling, Stroud ; Retired Manufacturer.
J. Kandoing, France : Member of Central Jury, &c.; Member of the Legislative Assembly of France .Laos Sa.moiloff, Russia ; President of the Council of Manufactures at Moscow .
Aiim. Simonis, Belgium ; Merchant; President of the Chamber of Commerce, Venders.
Associates.
John Barnes, Leeds; Salesman.
Joseph Bateson, Leeds ; Merchant.
Thomas Dewhirst, Bradford ; Worsted Spinner.Benjamin Harrison , Bradford ; Worsted Manufac-turer.
Henry Jennins, Leeds; Merchant.
Henry Kelsall, Rochdale ; Flannel Manufacturer.Darnton Lupton, Leeds ; Woollen Merchant.F.miltus Preller, Bradford; Merchant .
* F. Lucius, Proxy for M. Carl.f C. Offekmann, 1’roxy for M. Scuoller.
The Jury appointed to decide on the merits of the variousexamples of Woollen and Worsted Fabrics, found it requi-site to divide their duties, and to constitute four Sub-Julies for the consideration of the several subjects de-manding their attention; the Report will therefore befound to present four general heads, viz., Woollen Cloths :Flannels and Blankets; Worsted and Mixed Fabrics; andYarns.
In the course of their labours, the Jury were com-pelled to call in much additional assistance, and theyhave to acknowledge the valuable aid afforded them bythe several Associate Jurors in simplifying duties of noordinary character, since the great mass of articles com-ing under their cognizance rendered those duties asonerous as the responsibility was serious, owing to thegreat similarity and equality of merit displayed in almostevery department.
In presenting their awards without recommending oneCouncil Medal, the Jury consider it only due to the im-portant branches of industry represented in Class XII., tostate their conviction that in no point can they considerthem as unworthy of the highest recognition which theJury had the power to give or recommend; but feeling,from the great amount of merit displayed, that therecommendation of a Council Medal “ for excellence ofmanufacture, beauty of design, or progress” in any oneinstance, would have involved the same recommendationin so many others, as utterly to destroy the value of thatreward, besides creating those invidious distinctions whichthe recognition of various degrees of the same kind ofmerit must suggest, the Jury determined to equalize suchacknowledgments of excellence by awarding the PrizeMedal only ; leaving to the public, as the best arbitrators,the decisions on question of relative degrees.
Woollen Cloths.
Before proceeding to report upon the articles contri-buted by the several Exhibitors, the Jury consider itdesirable to give some short account of certain differencesof manufacturing treatment between our home produc-tions and those of the Continent.
In England a new era for this trade may be said tohave commenced, in the year 1824, by the introduction of
what is called the roll-boiling process, which produces apermanent lustre on the face of the cloth, that neitherspots by rain, nor is removed by damp. This processwas introduced by Messrs. Daniell and Wilkins, of Twer-ton, near Bath, who took out a patent for it in the aboveyear. The permanent face is imparted by rolling thecloth, before being racked or tentered, round a cylinder,not very tightly, and putting it in scalding water for twoor three hours, then taking it out and letting it cool: thishas to be done several times during the process of dress-ing. About the same period great improvements weremade in the milling and weaving departments, whichenabled the cloth to bear this severe test. Other manu-facturers had to pay a premium to the above-named firmfor three years, when the patent was disputed, and ulti-mately lost through the evidence of a Yorkshire manu-facturer, who proved that he had used it several yearsbefore; but, owing to his connection being very limited,it did not answer his purpose to continue it. However,the credit must remain to Messrs. Daniell and Co. for theperfection and general introduction of a plan which hassince been universally acted upon.
Up to this time the general plan had been to dye blacksin the piece, of a common dye; but this new method wasfound to interfere with that of dyeing, from its beingfound difficult to make the dye penetrate through theimproved fabric; this led to the gradual introduction ofdyeing in the wool of a permanent kind,—a process which,in its execution, requires considerable skill and expe-rience, but which is now so perfected as to leave little ornothing to be desired. While speaking of the improve-ment in woollen manufacture, it is but justice to mentionthe introduction, by Messrs. Daniell and Wilkins, of anew method of weaving stout beaver elotli for winterwear, called the “patent double cloth,” which waspatented by them in 1838, the material possessing con-siderable merit for its soft pliable character, united withgreat durability, causing it to entirely supersede the oldmilled cloth, which was hard and uncomfortable. By thismode of weaving a coarse and warm material is obtainedon one side, and on the other the very finest cloth; animportant consideration in olden times, when railwaytravelling was unknown, and the requirement more felt.