This question was answered long ago in the
negative by our Continental neighbours, and in Germany, France, and
Switzerland official conditioning establishments have been founded by
the Governments of those countries for the purpose of testing lots of
purchased wool and silk, etc., for moisture, in order that this moisture
may be deducted from the invoices, and cash paid for real dry wool, etc.
I would point out that if you, as hat manufacturers, desire to enter the
lists with Germany, you must not let her have any advantage you have
not, and it is an advantage to pay for what you know exactly the
composition of, rather than for an article that may contain 7 per cent.
or, for aught you know, 17 per cent. or 30 per cent. of water. There is,
so far as I know, no testing for water in wools and furs in this
country, and certainly no "conditioning establishments" (1887), and, I
suppose, if a German or French wool merchant or furrier could be
imagined as selling wool, etc., in part to a German or French firm, and
in part to an English one, the latter would take the material without a
murmur, though it might contain 10 per cent.
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