Lines. 57 



sheets are stretched perpendicularly and flooded once a 

 day for several days with the oil, under free access of 

 air. Thus each dose of oil is oxidized, until a sheet of 

 tough amber-colored jelly results, an inch or more in 

 thickness and the size of the cloth. During this process 

 the air of the room in which it is conducted is so acrid 

 as to be almost as intolerable as the vapor of ammonia, 

 while, when the jelly is removed, the cotton cloth is 

 found rotted practically out of existence. Therefore, 

 in waterproofing a line composed of a cotton core cov- 

 ered with a silk envelope, it would seem to be a case of 

 " Hobson's choice." Either the cotton core will be so 

 rotted as to destroy its strength, or the waterproofing 

 must be superficial only. This latter is very easily 

 done. The trouble lies in quite the other direction, 

 since to make the mixture permeate the line to its very 

 centre is a recognized difficulty and an admitted essen- 

 tial in the manufacture of first-class lines of this kind. 

 The maker of the cotton-centred line, therefore, has 

 but the choice of either marketing his line with its cen- 

 tre already rotten, or in a condition speedily to become 

 so with use. Naturally he chooses the latter, and a 

 line is the result which looks well, seems strong, can be 

 sold cheap, and is really dear at almost any price. 



Contrast this trash with a first-class line. In the 

 spring of 1899 I obtained samples of the best quality 

 of enamelled waterproofed line of the best makers. 

 Analysis showed they were all made of the best silk ; 

 whether Chinese or Italian was not certain, since it was 

 found to be impossible, without more time and trouble 

 than was thought warranted, to so thoroughly eliminate 

 the waterproofing as positively to determine this ; but 

 the indications pointed strongly to Chinese silk. These 



