UNITED STATES TARIFF COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D. C.

Tariff Information Survey I-3a

100 IMPORTED COTTON

CLOTHS

Showing cloth particulars, invoice prices in 1913 and 1920, and rates of duty applicable under acts of 1909, 1913, and 1922

12-1-1923

FOREWORD.

The tables here printed were referred to on page 41 of Tariff Information Survey I-3 entitled "Countable Cotton Cloths." They were originally intended for inclusion therein but were omitted in order to expedite the printing of that report for the use of the Committee on Ways and Means. In the original manuscript form these tables were used by that committee and also by the Finance Committee in their preparation of the tariff law. They have since been rounded out by the insertion of the rates of duty applicable under the act of 1922 and are printed in response to requests by the trade.

In the preparation of this report the Tariff Commission had the services of W. A. Graham Clark, special expert, and of others.

ONE HUNDRED IMPORTED COTTON CLOTHS.

There are shown herewith physical, price, and tariff data relating to 100 foreign cotton cloths selected, in 1920, as typical of imports in this line. In making the selections the Tariff Commission had the assistance of importers and customs examiners. Photographs of these cloths are appended.

Table 1 shows physical and price data. The physical data include the so-called "cloth particulars," that is, the width in inches, the weight (stated in linear yards per pound, in square yards per pound, and in ounces per square yard), the ends and picks per square inch, and the yarn number and ply of both warp and filling. There is also listed the total single threads per square inch; in cloths composed of single yarns only, the total is the sum of the ends and picks, but in cloths containing ply yarns these are separated into singles and the count is taken of the total singles. There is further shown the official average yarn number, obtained by considering the length of the yarn to be equal to the distance covered by it in the cloth in the condition as imported, except that all clipped threads are considered as continuous. The width in inches is multiplied by the linear yards per pound and by the total single threads per square inch, and the result divided by 840. This official average yarn number, which has been in continuous use for tariff purposes since October 3, 1913, is always somewhat coarser than the actual average yarn number by reason of its disregarding the amount (difficult of precise ascertainment) by which the actual length of yarn used exceeds the surface length of the cloth produced.1 The physical data presented also show the finish given to the yarn or to the cloth; where no finish is stated after the yarn it was used in the grey (unbleached) state.

The 100 cotton cloths selected include 90 known to the customs as "countable cotton cloths," because the threads must be counted to ascertain the progressive rate of duty to be applied, and 10 special cloths, provided for eo nomine, dutiable without respect to the threads per square inch or to the average yarn number based thereon. The 90 countable cotton cloths are made up of 41 plain cloths (plain-woven, twill, or sateen fabrics) woven with grey yarns; 18 plain cloths in which dyed yarns are used; 16 cloths requiring the use of the dobby or the Jacquard attachment; 2 made with leno doups; 2 containing novelty yarns; 2 with effects produced by clipping floating threads; and 9 made on swivel or lappet looms. The 10 cotton cloths provided for eo nomine include coated cloths, filled cloths, waterproof cloths, cotton table damask, Jacquard figured upholstery cloths (light and

1 The fact that the length of yarn used is more than the length of the cloth produced is due, of course, to the necessity of the two sets of interweaving yarns, warp and filling, bending out of their course in order to pass around each other.