ON RHEEA BY HIS PATENT PROCESS. 361 



Jamaica, and as that Island abounds with rheea and similar 

 fibre plants, and as the distance is comparatively short 

 to that of India, my hopes of a supply through merchants 

 connected with and interested in the trade of that country, are 

 likely to be now realised. Then I have discovered that 

 Algiers is second to none for fibre plants, and the strength 

 of those I have experimented upon are of such a superior 

 nature, that once their value be made known and brought 

 properly before his Majesty the Emperor of the French, the 

 resources of that country will not remain undeveloped, and 

 rheea, no doubt, is to be had in that region. We have also 

 New Zealand, with a climate for everything that India or 

 Europe can produce, and I have been able to cottonize the 

 Flax (Phormium Tenax) of that country. 



And last though not least, we have Ceylon, only a four 

 months' journey from home, and merchants trading to that 

 country who have the power and inclination to enter into engage- 

 ments as to a supply of rheea and such fibres as the soil of that 

 rich productive island can be made to produce for our wants in 

 Lancashire. 



" 'East India House, 28th February, 1854. 



" 'SiR, Mr. Sangster and I propose coming down to see 

 your mill one of these days. I will give you intimation of 

 our intended visit. I have no doubt that the present aspect of 

 affairs will make merchants pay more attention to India fibres, 

 of which there is great abundance ; orders have gone out for 



several of them. 



' ' ' Yours obediently, 



" ST. F. ROYLE. 



" ' Mr. J. Hill Dickson, 



11 ' Proprietor, Flax Mills, Deptford.' 



" * SIR, I did not reply to your note, as I concluded that 

 you would let me know when your mill is ready for inspection. 

 I am anxious to see some Flax separated from the plant by 



