Wm. J. Pope said:
AMERICAN SAFETY RAZOR BLADES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir.—A disquieting revelation concerning the importation of American safety razor blades into this country is made in your issue of the 9th inst. Among the evidence laid before the Standing Committee of the Board of Trade on imported cutlery you report :—"Mr. William Hales Charlton, works manager of Darwin's Limited, Sheffield, said the total annual import of one type of American safety razor blades into this country if spread out would cover England eight times over." A similar report appeared in other daily journals, and recognizing the authority of the witness and the gravity of the occasion, we must accept the statement as substantially correct.
The area and population of England are known, as also are the dimensions and weight of the safety razor blades ; a simple calculation shows that nearly 800.000.000 tons of this particular type of blade reach our shores annually, and that every year each man, woman, and child consumes on the average about 20.000.000 blades, weighing between 19 and 20 tons. Taking the cost of the blades at the moderate figure of 2d. apiece, each inhabitant of the country spends over £150,000 per annum on safety razor blades ; this tells us who pays the supertax.
Whilst disclaiming any desire to interfere with the innocent amusements of the people, I feel that this safety razor business is being overdone ; traffic will be impeded and the scenery spoilt when the discarded blades cover our fair England eight deep. What is to be done about it ; cannot D.O.R.A. ration us ? A mere million safety razor blades per annum should suffice to keep the normal individual clean shaven.
Yours, &c.
Wm. J. POPE.
Cambridge, May 12.