386 REPORT ON MATERIALS 
some idea from the fact that 177,633,009 lb. weight of paper 
were produced in 1853 in Great Britain. 
C. 
The Author having been requested to give his opinion re- 
specting an increased supply of Materials for Paper-making, did 
so in the Report which is subjoined to the following— 
Copy of Correspondence between the Departments of the 
Treasury and Board of Trade, in regard to the increasing 
Scarcity of the Materials for the Fabrication of Paper. 
(Printed by order of the House of Commons.) 
Treasury Chambers, February 13, 1854. 
Sir,—I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of Her 
Majesty’s Treasury to acquaint you that it has been represented 
to their Lordships that great and increasing scarcity has been 
felt of late in obtaining supplies of the raw material of paper, 
consisting not only of rags, but also largely of the refuse of 
cotton- and flax-mills. It is stated that within the last ten 
years the prices of these articles have greatly advanced, that 
rags can be imported from only a few parts of Europe, and 
that as there is no regular and open market for rags and the 
other materials used in the manufacture of paper, increased 
demand and high price do not call forth increased supply, as in 
other articles of commerce from abroad. 
With a view to diminish the inconvenience thus felt, it has 
been suggested to my Lords, that Her Majesty’s Consuls 
abroad might be instructed to obtain information, and procure 
samples of vegetable fibre in their respective localities, applicable 
to the manufacture of paper. In doing this, it would have to 
be borne in mind that the great essential of such an article 
must be its cheapness, to cover the high freights now prevailing, 
and which, it may be anticipated, will prevail for some time. 
As regards the nature of the articles, my Lords are informed, 
that with the exception of jute canvas and gunny bagging, 
every description of vegetable fibre is now capable of being 
bleached, and is available for fine papers. Fibrous reeds and 
rushes, the inner bark of many trees, and several kinds of 
vegetable fibre in warm or tropical countries, are substances 
likely to be of service, especially where they could be imported 
