The British Coal-Tar Colour Industry

Abstract

WHILST the original discovery of a coal-tar dye was made by an Englishman, W. H. Perkin, in 1856, and the early industrial development of the dyestuff industry took place in Great Britain, the rapidly growing industry soon found better conditions for its development in Germany. The consequent decline of the British coal-tar colour industry was already well marked in 1875, and in 1886 had proceeded so far that 90 per cent of the dyes then used in Britain were of foreign manufacture. This condition of things persisted and, in the decade prior to the War, German domination of the industry was nearly complete.