The Great Exhibition afforded an excellent display of the variety and
progress of Yorkshire woollen manufactures, proving the immense advantage
they derived from choice and mixture of various qualities and materials. In
several examples the body was of stout English wool, with a face of finest
Australia,--in some cases, of mohair,--and, in one instance, a most beautiful
article was produced by putting a face of vicuna on British wool.
As at present conducted, the process of a woollen factory up to certain
stages of machinery is the same as that of a cotton factory. But it will be
seen that a great deal depends on an ample supply of water of good quality.
Cloth Manufacture.--(1.) The first operation is that of sorting the wool. Each
fleece contains several qualities,--the division and arrangement requires
judgment; the best in a Silesian fleece may be worth 6s. a pound, and the
rest not worth half the money. After sorting, wools are mixed in certain
proportions.
(2.) The mixture is first soaked in a hot ley of stale urine and soap, rinsed
in cold water, and pressed between rollers to dry it.
(3.) If the cloth is to be dyed in that operation, next succeeds the
scouring.
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