992 
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Gomess’ Process. 
A chemical process, the invention of Mr. A. F. B. Gomess, for 
the treatment of China grass or Ramie ribbons has been much 
discussed during the thet three years. It is not intended to deal 
with jhand-cleaned commercial China grass, but with ** Black 
Rhea,” by which is probably meant the stiff brown ribbons 
obtained by drying the bark when removed from the stems 
The ribbons may be — either by hand or by machin, 
From these dry hard ribbons it is claimed that by esca 
means all woody particles, the ‘epidermis and gum M remove 
and that the fibre is emersit in pe form of filass ready for 
being eombed and spun into yar This is Dtselicails all the 
information so far ebisinablei in this. country. It appears, however, 
that an effort is being made to grow the China g 
(Behmeria nivea), and the Ramie or Rhea plant (B. niece 
in India in order to supply the raw article in a si rdc condition 
to be treated by this process. "The following particulars are taken 
from the Madras Weekly Mail (July k 1896 6):— 
“The owners of the Gomess process, who are aay dail in 
England by the Rhea Fibre Treatment Company, Limited, 
17, ecce cerle London, W., and in this ried i by the 
Indi hea re Parent Company, Limited, Bombay, are 
mime to Gdiitiadt for the purchase of large quantities of dried 
ribbons er bark, and in regard to this the London Company 
report 
z "m That they require the raw material in the shape of 
ribbons; that is, the whole bark hand-stripped from the stem, 
thoroughly dried, and packed in bales. 
*(b.) That they prefer:the species Behmeria nivea, but that 
they can also use the Behmeria tenacissima and Ban-rhea 
(Villebrunea integrifolia). 
*(e.) That the quantities required by the pondon Paves ad 
would be continuous and very large; that ould be 
Y. to ET exact figures, but that they od TA i with 
0,000 tons to commence with. 
= a3 ) That they are at "ew prepared to contract at prices 
bebe thei to from £10 to £11 per ton, delivered i in London, 
at £7 a ton at port of Rua in India 
Fu d er particulars may be obtained from a BAA entitled 
* Rhea, its Cultivation, Decortication, and Baling, and the subse- 
quent treatment of the Ribbons by the Gomess Process, emet 
by the Rhea Fibre Treatment "Oolnrdieh] 17, Shaftesbury 
Avenue, W. 
” 
SUMMARY. 
Few practical problems have consumed so much time and 
energy as the attempt to bring China grass and Ramie into u 
for manufacturing purposes. Notwithstanding all the nia eut ea 
of mechanical skill and inventive ability, the conclusion cannot 
be evaded that we are still as far off as aver from being able to 
place upon market a finished product which will effectually 
compete with silk, flax, ‘att the better Sae ti of cotton. 
