[ 175 ] 180 



to avoid the use of the knee roll, l)y inserting a sheet of thin glazed 

 pasteboard, at certain intervals between the folds of silk on the breast 

 roll, which, from its elasticity, yields to the vibration of the loom, 

 vi^ithout communicating any motion to the silk, while its own smooth 

 gurfoce allows it to move a little on the sui'face of the silk, without 

 any injurious friction. Tlie most successful application of this contri- 

 vance, has been made by Mr, Peter Caron, which, although perhaps, 

 in part, to be attributed to his own individual dexterity, (for, by the 

 testimony of the foreman of Mr. Levcque, for whom he works, he ap- 

 pears to be a remarkably careful skilful weaver,) has been considered by 

 the society worthy of being made pulilic for the l:fenefit of others in the 

 same trade, both workmen and masters. 



The process is the following: 



After a porry (a quantity of five or six yards) has been wove, and 

 rolled on the breast roll in the usual way, during the weaving, it is 

 to be unrolled, and carefully rolled again as evenly as possible; a 

 sheet of pasteboard, or pressers' paper, being put in the last turn. When 

 a second porry has been finished, it is to be again rolled as above describ- 

 cd,thesheet of pasteboard inserted in the lastfoldof the former porry,be- 

 ing first removed ; but, at the end of every second porry, or twelve yards 

 of work, the pasteboard which has been inserted is to remain until the 

 piece is finished, especial care being taken that the pasteboard lies as 

 close on the roll as the work ii self does. Mr. Caron has practised this 

 method for three years, and, during that time, has not had a piece in 

 the slightest degree watered. The kinds of work to which it has been 

 applied, have been Gros de Naples, Florentines, and double-twilled 

 garsnets. 



Extracts from the Minutes of Evidence taken by Committees of 

 both Houses of the Parliament of England, on the subject of the 

 Silk trade and Silk manufacture, in the year 1821.* 



Enoch Duranf, a silk broker. — Silk is principally imported, from 

 Bengal, China, Italy, and Turke3^ The average, of late years, amounts 

 fully to a million eight hundred thousand pounds. Bengal sends about 

 eight hundred thousand pounds, somewhat under; China about one 



* when any subject of commerce, manufacture or internal improvement, is 

 brought before Parliament, th^ House, instead of considering- itself ex officio inspired, 

 and fully competent to decide on the occasion, appoint a committee to examine and 

 report on it, with authority to send for persons and papers. This committee, if they 

 find it necessary, sit during the recess, and examine intelligent men, practically ac- 

 quainted with the subject before them, from whom all the information requisite to 

 elucidate it, is obtained; and, after a thorough and patient investigation of it, a bill, 

 founded thereon, is bi'ought forward. The minutes of the evidence are regularly pub- 

 lished, to show the grounds of the provisions in tlie bill laid before the Pouse. In 

 this way the despatch of tlie public business is not only greatly promoted, but thou- 

 sands of pounds are annually saved or gained to the nation, not in the way of daily pay, 

 by preventing debates of weeks or months, (for the members receive no pay,) but by 

 the proposed improvement taking place, or by a wise law going into speedy operation, 

 or by the repeal of one v.hich has been proved to be injurious to the prosperity of 

 ,t!ie country. 



