228 



TEXTILE FIBRES. 



Zealand and in North America, and is perhaps the only native mineral 

 product used for textile fabrics. 



Fig. 148 shows tufts of these fibres from Italy, some of which are 

 very fine and lustrous, resembling in appearance those of fine soft silk. 

 They have been much used for spinning and weaving purposes on similar 

 lines to those of cotton, but with a smaller number of processes. 



Recently a quantity of this material was sent to London, and was 

 placed in the hands of a well-known firm, who spun and wove the fibres 



Fig. 149. Asbestos (native). 



into a cloth-like fabric, and pronounced its marketable value to be '20 

 per ton. 



Asbestos has been used for protective coats of furnacemen and fire- 

 men's clothing ; also for sheets, aprons, and gloves. 



In theatres it has been found useful for drop-curtains for preventing 

 the spread of fire. It is also employed for packing the pistons of steam 

 engines and for steam boilers. 



Two kinds of asbestos in their native state are shown on fig. 149 ; the 

 one on the left is Canadian, and that to the right Italian. 



For samples of asbestos I am indebted to the United Asbestos Co., 

 Limited, of Manchester and London. 



