354 VALUABLE PROPERTIES OF RHEKA FIBRE. 
No. 2. Rheea fibre, sent to the Exhibition of 1851.—The same as No. 1, 
but coarser in quality. 
No. 3. Fibre from Java.—We think this is the Rheea fibre prepared, but 
can hardly judge from so small a sample: it seems to be a good, clean fibre, 
and worth further inquiry. 
No. 4. Wild Rheea fibre-—Very coarse; only fit for rope-making. 
I hope this report will be satisfactory to you. It would certainly be an 
important advantage to us, as consumers of China-grass or Rheea fibre, to 
be able to obtain a supply from Assam. If it could be supplied at lower 
rates than those I have mentioned, that would, of course, much encourage 
the consumption of it in this country. I have stated what we consider the 
full value at present in our market here. At present there is not much 
consumed in England, but a good supply from a nearer market than China 
might enlarge the demand, 
I an, sir, very truly, 
Leeds; Dec. 10, 1853. J. G. Marsan. 
Major Hannay, in one of his papers to the Agri-Horti- 
cultural Society of Calcutta, mentions that some specimens of 
his Rheea fibre having been sent direct to Leeds were valued at 
£50 aton. Mr. Sangster, of the firm of Wright and Co., to 
whom one of the Prize Medals was awarded, has no doubt of 
the identity of the Assam produce with that of China, and 
therefore of its being of equal value. Mr. Dickson, who has 
had much experience with different fibres and the finer kinds 
of Flax, pronounced it to be a splendid fibre. Mr. Norrie, of 
Dundee, who has also examined many of these Indian fibres, 
finds it a very superior article, which can be brought to different 
qualities of fineness to suit the market it is sent to. It can 
be prepared to a quality suitable for the Dundee market, and 
also to a much finer quality, suitable for the markets requiring 
it finer; but says it must be kept soft and silky, which no mere 
mechanical means will do. These are very different opinions 
from one given a few years ago by a practical man, who 
stated that it might answer for carpet warps. Within the last 
year many have applied to the Author for information respecting 
this fibre, and how it could be obtained. One house in Belfast 
applied, through the Secretary of the Commercial Association of 
Manchester, for fifty tons of the fibre, and one gentleman, who 
has long paid attention to China-grass, and has carefully 
examined the Rheea fibre of Assam, addressed a letter to the 
Court of Directors of the East India Company, stating that 
he wished to obtain it to the extent of fifty tons monthly for a 
Continental house. 
“ The Rheea Fibres for Rope-making.—Though I havenodoubt 
