1875.] Correspondence regarding Indian Dye-Stuffs and Silks. 131 



To cany out this idea it would be necessary to know what dye-stuffs 

 India produces, and then to investigate their nature and properties, with a 

 view to their application to silk dyeing, and even to silk printing. 



I may here be permitted to mention what I have long considered to be 

 a national want, that of our not possessing a national dye-house, under able 

 supervision, where such industrial applications as these could be systemati- 

 cally investigated and developed. France, in her G-obelins dye-house, 

 under the scientific control of so eminent a man as M. Chevreul, possesses 

 great advantages over us in maintaining superiority and supremacy in the 

 silk trade ; and yet in the possession of India, probably the largest dye- 

 stuffs producing country in the world, we possess a natural superiority over 

 all other countries, which it is only necessary we should duly cultivate to 

 distance all competition. 



The number of Indian dye-stuffs with which I am practically acquain- 

 ed, such as indigo, madder, safflower, catechu, cochineal, and a few others, 

 constitute only a small portion of those which India produces, and which, 

 I think, might be very advantageously applied on the spot, if they were 

 only made known here and their properties practically investigated. 



Besides the meretricious results most of the anilin colors give, they 

 have not the important merit of permanence. In both these respects, I 

 think they would have to yield to native Indian dye-stuffs. 



In addition to the silk of the tusser worm, there are others of a still 

 wilder nature, such as some of those exhibited in the vertical cases in the 

 Indian Museum, the names of which I at present forget. I have often 

 thought these might be used in trade to the full extent of then* production 

 in textile fabrics, with and without cotton warps, and dyed or printed, or 

 both, perhaps for coarse sewing silk, for cords, and for paper. That which 

 would not admit of being reeled could be carded and spun into threads for 

 weaving, as is the case now to such a large extent in Switzerland, and more 

 lately in England, with the waste silk from the European silk manufacturers 

 and from imported pierced cocoons. 



I send samples of rough silk cloth, dyed and undyed, to illustrate my 

 meaning. The silk of these fabrics is entirely from the mulberry worm, 

 and takes the dye easily ; it appears to be composed of the worst refuse of 

 silk, almost the shoddy of " silk waste," after the more workable and 

 regular portions have been separated for finer textile work. I think all the 

 wild silks might and ought to be used similarly, if they can only be dyed or 

 printed. 



I also send a series of patterns of various dyes on tusser silk of a very 

 inferior quality. 



They may serve to point out what can be done in this direction. 



If your Lordship is of opinion that I can aid in developing the new 



