46 



nothing more remains to be done in this direction ; 

 but I sincerely trust that the Government will not 

 give way to any such feeling of despair. The 

 difficulties connected with the manufacture of Rheea 

 fibre do not exist in the case of the plants which I 

 am advocating, and I am convinced that a fair trial 

 will show that we have at our feet in India an easily 

 manageable source of wealth. 



14. It cannot be too distinctly stated, however, 

 Energy and en- that energy and enterprize are essential 



terprize essen- A 



tiai to success, to success in this undertaking as in all 

 others. We must begin with a firm determination 

 to overcome first difficulties if we are desirous of 

 ascertaining the great intrinsic value of our Eastern 

 fibres. How to set to work is a very serious and 

 important question. It is hopeless to depend entirely 

 or principally on brokers, for they are not, as a rule, 

 experts in any particular branch of trade, but base 

 their valuations on speculative data, which, at the 

 best, are liable to great fluctuation. The way which 

 ^tept^SS seems to me best, is to enlist the services 

 and co-operation of a substantial firm in the trade, 

 who will undertake to institute themselves agents, 

 in consideration of certain concessions to be guar- 

 anteed to them. I should suggest that, with a view 

 to carrying out this idea, the Government should 

 start with the understanding that they must be pre- 

 pared at the outset to make a sacrifice, in the hope 

 of ultimate gain, and supply the sample consignment 

 (which, I may venture to say, in passing, should in 

 no case be under five tons), for experiment, free of 



