360 DICKSON ON COLONEL ABBOTT'S REPORT 



Mr. Whittaker from an unfortunate accident, (a broken leg), 

 got embarrassed and his private affairs got into the bankruptcy 

 court ; if sucli misfortune had not reached him, I am quite 

 convinced he would have fulfilled his promise of purchase, 

 and have worked my patents with success, as he spared no 

 expense in proving their value ; he forfeited by his bankruptcy 

 all interest and right of purchase of my patents. 



As the delay in having my inventions, (so likely, if worked, to 

 be of great benefit) remaining idle, has caused many to question 

 the cause, I beg to here add a statement of facts that I hope will 

 serve to convince those who may feel interested, of the real cause. 



When Mr. Whittaker suspended payment in 1861, offers 

 were made me by several firms in Bradford, to take his place 

 as purchasers of my patents, and such was from six of the 

 most extensive spinning and manufacturing firms in the town, 

 who all got of my prepared rheea fibre and had it spun and 

 woven into the yarn and cloth now in my pattern books. The 

 price, 10,000, was never objected to, but the uncertainty 

 of a supply, India being at such a distance, and then con- 

 sidered the only place from which rheea fibre could be had, 

 such was the great obstacle and objection which nothing 

 could remove but the establishment of a joint stock company 

 in India, or an arrangement with first class firms in Calcutta, 

 Madras, Kurrachee, and Bombay, who would guarantee the 

 first and most important part, the growth and supply from 

 that great empire. Such has been a complete stopper on the 

 disposal and working of my patented inventions until now, 

 when I expect that with such facts and figures I must obtain 

 the aid of British merchants. Since then I have referred back 

 to letters I was favoured with, from Sir W. Hooker, of the 

 Royal Gardens, Kew, to whom I am deeply indebted, as 

 through his kind attention I have been furnished with 

 evidence beyond all doubt in the writings of Mr. Nathanel 

 Wilson, on the vegetable production, especially the fibres of 



