3fo. 124.J 307 



intendents are scarce, as a superintendent must not only be a good 

 silk weaver, but a manufacturer, or at least one that has had the su- 

 perintendence of an establishment in Europe ; and 1 should find no 

 difficuhy in getting such men, provided there was a probability of 

 permanent employment. 



I am happy to say there is every prospect of three more establish- 

 ments being raised next April ; one in Cincinnati, one in Kingscourt, 

 Tenn., and one in Indiana, Pa. I hope to hear of Connecticut, 

 Massachusetts, &c., doing likewise. Commence economically ; go 

 on with spirit, blended with prudence and perseverance, and success 

 %vill be the happy result. 



Murray & Ryle, Proprietors of the Paierson Silk Manufactory, 

 Paterson^ JV. J. — The Circular of the American Institute has received 

 our respectful attention, and we take great pleasure in furnishing re- 

 plies to the inquiries addressed to manufacturers of silk, viz : 



1. Our establishment was commenced in the summer of ]840. 



2. The varieties of silk we manufacture are chiefly sewings, tram, 

 organzine, twists of various descriptions, and in fact every kind of 

 silk thread. We have lately commenced the weaving of cloth, and 

 have now 12 looms in operation. Specimejis of these articles will 

 be exhibited at the Fair. 



3. Our consumption of raw silk is at present at the rate of 8,000 

 lbs. per annum. 



4. The capital employed is about $20,000. 



5. The number of hands employed is about 50, chiefly women and 

 children. 



6. American silk, when reeled with care, produces a stronger 

 thread than silk of foreign growth, and we give it the preference in 

 every instance when offered us for sale. 



7. We have not had sufficient experience in the qualities of Ame- 

 rican silk made from different trees, to answer this question. In 

 order to arrive at any correct conclusion on the subject, it would be 

 necessary for the grower of each lot of silk to specify upon what 

 kind of mulberry he fed his worms. 



8. In answer to this question, we would state that the present 

 tariff on silks does not answer the objects contemplated in making 

 it — which we presume were, encouragement of the growth and 

 manufacture of silk, as well as revenue. The section of the tariff 

 on raw silk reads thus : 



" On raw silk, comprehending all silks in the gum, whether in 

 hanks, reeled or otherwise — 50 cents per pound of 16 oz. 



Now, raw silk is known in common acceptation, as the silk sim- 

 ply reeled from the cocoon and made up in hanks for the manufac- 

 turer. But, under the clause " or otherwise," silk in the gum, al- 

 though manufactured through all the incipient stages, previously to 

 the operation of dyeing (in which the natural gum is for the first 

 time extracted,) is admitted at the same duty of 50 cents per pound. 



