130 Correspondence regarding Indian Bye-Stuffs and Silks. [July, 



importance, and should be made known as widely as possible among those 

 engaged in its production for the markets of Europe. 



5. No replies have yet been received from Her Majesty's Consuls at 

 Genoa, Lyons, Marseilles, and in Switzerland respecting the processes of 

 reeling and dyeing silks, but I hope, at an early date, to be enabled to 

 communicate them to your Excellency's Government. 



Dyeing and Reeling Wild Silks. 

 From Thomas Waedle, Esq., p.g.s., 

 To Her Majesty' 's Secretary of State for India. 



I duly received your Lordship's communication requesting me to 

 report on the successful modes of dyeing the wild silks of India. 



I have for several years been engaged in endeavouring to overcome the 

 difficulties which, until recently, have surrounded the dyeing of these silks, 

 and more particularly that of the tusser worm. 



I think the natives of India may be taught to dye the silk. 



They would require some acquaintance with our English chemical 

 methods, which create and regulate affinities for the various tinctorial 

 matters produced in their own and other countries, as well as with the par- 

 ticular processes I have found to succeed, and there would al. o be neces- 

 sary the proper appliances for both dyeing and giving a lustre to this silk. 



The processes which I have found successful are twofold : those which 

 apply artificial colouring matter, and those in which some Indian or other 

 exotic dye-stuffs are used. 



India possesses a large number of dye-stuffs, many of which are. prac- 

 tically unknown to English dyers, no doubt mainly owing to the absence 

 of any descriptive work on the subject and the inaccessibility of the infor- 

 mation to be derived from the Indian Museum. 



Of the former, which are exclusively of English and Continental 

 origin, chiefly derivations of coal-tar, I should give but a reserved recom- 

 mendation. Their wholesale introduction into India would be almost sure 

 to lower the high standard of Indian taste and decorative art power, 

 and would probably counteract the demand which is rapidly rising at home 

 for eastern dyed products. This much, however, may be said for these 

 artificial dyes, that, owing to the natural brownness of colour of the tusser 

 and other wild silks (which cannot at present be removed), much of the 

 vulgar brightness of these dyes becomes neutralised when applied to these 

 silks, and lower-toned and warmer shades are the result. 



It is the application of the native dye-stuffs to the native silks that I 

 would recommend. Besides the manifest economic advantages, there would 

 be others of more importance from an artistic point of view. 



