8 



I did so, but was prevented from further watching 

 the development of the project by my departure for 

 England on two years' furlough. The scheme has 

 since, I believe, attained larger proportions, but, 

 if I am rightly informed, it still remains uncertain 

 whether the undertaking will prove a financial 

 success. 



3. The manufacture of paper from Bamboo is no 

 paper made from n ew discovery, it has been practised by 



bamboo by the . , ~, . n -, 



Chinese. the Chinese for centuries past ; and more 



recently our trans-Atlantic neighbours have turned 

 the plant to the same account. It only remains, then, 

 for me to consider the political and financial merits 

 of the scheme so far as India is concerned. 



4. Before proceeding to do so, however, I should 

 Snit e t s ed f b p y a the mention as a proof of the deep practical 



author to Govern- ., T , . - . Pj , 



ment. interest I take in the opening up or the 



fibre trade of India, that I have submitted for the 

 approval of the Government of British Burma five 

 samples of paper made from the fibres of (1) Ficus 

 Rumphii, (2) Ficus infectoria, (3) Ficus affinis, (4) 

 Streblus aspera, and (5) Broussonetia papyrifera. 



5. These fibres, and specially the two last named, 



- appear to me to be at least as well suited 



booforpaper-mak- ' 1 _ _ . 



i Q g- as bamboo tor the requirements 01 the 



paper-trade, and the strongest argument against the 

 utilization of bamboo for the manufacture of paper 

 does not hold in the case of the plants which I have 

 named. Bamboo is a necessary of every-day life to 

 the poorest natives of India. Of it they make their 

 simple huts, and it is the material of which their rude 



