1875.] Correspondence regarding Indian Dye- Stuffs and Silks. 129 



No. ^, dated Simla, the 3rd May, 1875. 

 From A. 0. Hume, Esq. c.b., Secretary to the Government of India, Depart- 

 ment of Revenue, Agriculture, and Commerce. 

 To the Secretary to the Government of Deng al. 

 I am directed to forward herewith copy of a despatch from the Secre- 

 tary of State, No. 14, dated the 11th March, 1S75, and of its enclosures, 

 and to request that, with the permission of His Honor the Lieutenant- 

 Governor, the necessary instructions may be issued for the collection of 

 information on the various kinds of dye-stuffs of Indian growth and pro- 

 duction, and specimens of working samples of dye-stuffs, as well as of the 

 tusser and other wild silks. 



2. I am to request that the information regarding dye-stuffs may be 

 submitted in as complete a shape as possible, and that the samples may be 

 carefully labelled, and full particulars supplied in regard to them. . 



3. I am to draw special attention to paragraph 4 of the despatch, 

 relative to the manner in which the tusser silk, which is intended for the 

 markets in Europe, should be reeled. 



No. 14, dated India Office, London, the 11th March, 1875. 

 From Her Majesty' 's Secretary of State for India, 

 To the Government of India. 

 With reference to my despatch dated 23rd December (No. 69) 1874, 

 I now transmit copy of a letter* from Mr. Wardle, a silk dyer of great ex- 

 perience, and of one from Mr. Cobb, lately Honorary Secretary of the Silk 

 Supply Association, on the subject of reeling and dyeing the tusser silk. 



2. Mr. Wardle has discovered a way of dyeing tusser silk in brilliaut 

 colors and of giving it the lustre of Chinese silk ; and he is willing to 

 devote a portion of his time to continuing his experiments, and also to teach 

 his process to natives of India. 



3. I consider that advantage should be taken of this opportunity of 

 improving a native product, the yield of which is stated to be practically 

 inexhaustible, for Mr. Wardle thinks that the moogah and other wild silks 

 are equally capable of improvement. With this object, I would suggest 

 to your Excellency's Government that steps be taken to collect information 

 on the various dye-stuffs of Indian growth and production, and that work- 

 ing samples of dye-stuffs as well as of the tusser and other wild silks, be 

 collected and forwarded to this office in order that Mr. Wardle may be in a 

 position to continue his experiments. 



4. The recommendation of Mr. Cobb that the tusser silk should he 

 reeled in skeins, instead of in hanks as at present, is of great practical 



« Dated 1st February, 187<5. 



