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manufacturers of rope, paper and textile fabrics for stating 

 that the staple is superior to most of the first-class fibres 

 known to the home market, and that it will find a ready 

 sale provided it can be imported in sufficient quantities, and 

 at a reasonable price. The first proviso may be accepted as 

 granted, but the second remains to be proved. According 

 to the estimate supplied me by your predecessor (Sir William 

 Merewether) one hundred pounds sterling per ton is the lowest 

 figure at which the fibre could be landed in London ; a 

 price that at once closes the door to competition. I am, 

 however, in hopes that, by substituting machinery for hand 

 labor, we will be able sufficiently to reduce the estimate as 

 to admit of the fibre being brought on the market at a 

 saleable price. 



I am aware that a similar idea exists regarding the 

 unfitness of the dried stems of the Uk for conversion into 

 fibre, as once prevailed in respect to Rheea, but, in the same 

 manner as the latter opinion has proved a popular fallacy, I 

 have reason to believe that the theory respecting Uk will be 

 found false. However this may be, it is but right that a 

 fair trial should be made, and then, if the experiment fails, 

 we must next turn our attention to devise a machine that 

 will work the raw material ; but, to say a plant that yields 

 a first-class fibre, that grows wild in prolific abundance in 

 most parts of India, that thrives best on lands absolutely 

 unfitted for any other profitable culture, and that is not 

 influenced by drought, cannot be imported at a saleable 

 price, appears to me too unreasonable, and I have therefore 

 set myself the task of solving the problem. 



Under the foregoing circumstances, therefore, I trust you 

 will favour me with the sample of dried Uk stems already 

 applied for, plus the same quantity of Sur fibre, the charges 



