OF PREPARING RHEEA, FLAX, HEMP, ETC. 317 



The patents did comprise two distinct machines, and chemical 

 process. Now all has been brought into one machine. 



1. The Breaking Machine breaks out all the woody parts 

 of the plant ; the Scutching Machine cleans, separates, and 

 heckles the fibres in a new mode, superior to any hitherto 

 used; and the Cleansing Liquid takes out all the gum, and 

 makes it perfectly clean and soft for spinning, the entire process 

 being quite simple and easily intelligible, and capable of 

 being managed by an ordinary workman, no skilled scutcher 

 being required to work these machines. 



2. Throughout the whole process, no acid, fixed alkali, or 

 deleterious ingredient is used ; on the contrary, the liquid 

 employed, amongst other benefits, enables the fibres to bleach 

 and take the dye w T ith peculiar ease, and with much less time 

 and trouble than by the existing process. 



3. The expense of working will rather be diminished than 

 increased, as the material can be prepared in much less time, 

 and none of the skilled labour now required need be employed 

 at all. A running stream of water, that is soft and clear, is 

 indispensable in the saving of expense in bleaching and 

 finishing. 



The great commercial value of Mr. Dickson's discoveries 

 and patented inventions, has been testified to by several of the 

 best authorities on Indian matters. On May 9th, 1860, Mr. 

 Dickson exhibited to the members of the Society of Arts* 

 forty varieties of goods, manufactured from Indian fibres, 

 prepared by his process and machines by Mr. W. Whittaker, 

 a partner of one of the first-class firms (Messrs. Milligan, 

 Forbes, and Co.) in Bradford, Yorkshire. These goods 



* Thos. Bazley, Esq., M.P. for Manchester, was in the chair at the meeting, 

 and Colonel Sykes, M.P., Chairman of the Hon. East India Company, Mr. 

 Hadfield, M.P., and a numerous attendance of ladies and gentlemen were 

 present to examine the first yarns and goods spun and manufactured in England, 

 through Dickson's inventions, from the wild fibres of India. 



