COST OF PAPER MATERIALS FROM INDIA. 385 
half-stuff, as already quoted at p. 86, of different qualities, would 
be about £4 4s. and £7; as contracts could be made at the 
rate of Rs. 1 8, or 8s., to Rs. 2 8, or 5s., per maund of 82 Ib., 
deliverable at any central depét within a radius of twenty miles, 
The expenses of agency, conveyance, &c., in India, about £2 2s., 
and of freight to London, and other expenses, about £7; so 
that the lower quality might be imported here for £13 4s., and 
the better quality, equal to linen rags, for £16 5s. 
“Tt would be necessary to have recourse to the usual Indian 
system of making cash advances to contractors ere a pound of 
the goods had any existence. Such, however, is the universal 
system of the country. The natives, it must be admitted, are 
wonderfully faithful on the whole in adhering to their bargains.” 
“The method proposes to avail itself at once of their own 
simple arts; it brings the question as nearly as possible to the 
state of a domestic industry, ever the most economical in such 
countries ;. it reduces to the lowest point the charge of col- 
lecting from extensive districts the various elementary matters 
which might present themselves.” 
Dr. L, Playfair, in a communication on this subject, observes, 
that the price mentioned in the Treasury letter, of 2d. to 2id. 
per lb. for a partially prepared pulp, is by most makers considered 
to be too high, and that materials should be looked for at the 
price of 1d. to 13d. per lb. for roughly prepared pulp; but if 
bleached, or in as far an advanced state with regard to colour and 
texture as cotton or linen rag, then 23d. to 4d. per lb. might be 
obtained. “ The quantity of any promising material sent home 
for experiment should not be Jess than half a ton in weight,” 
though in some cases a cwt. will give satisfactory results. 
To serve as points of comparison we may here insert a 
notice of the ordinary and the increased prices of rags from 
the ‘Journal of the Society of Arts.’ 
A. 26s. . - : 328. to 34s. per cwt. 
B. 16s. ‘ ‘ ‘ 20s. a 
Cc. 1ls. 6d. i P ‘ 15s. - 
D. 7s. x ‘ é 10s. 55 
Bleaching salts, alkali, alum, hide pieces for size, are other 
articles required ; and all have increased in price. 
Of the quantity of material that is required, we may form 
25 
