The Exact Determination of the Fastness of the more Common Indigenous 

 Dyes of Bengal, and comparison with typical synthetic Dye-stuffs. 



Part I. — Dyeing on Cotton. 

 By E. R. Watson, M.A. {Cantab.), B.Sc. (Lond.). 



Introduction. 



Probably on no subject is it possible to find greater diversity of opinion than on 

 the subject of the fastness of the natural dyes. A great deal of the confusion, no doubt, 

 arises from the attempt to compare natural dyes as a class with the synthetic dyes 

 as a class, whilst, as a matter of fact, both classes include both fast and fugitive dyes. 

 The popular opinion in India is still perhaps in favour of the natural dye-stuffs. In the 

 course of the last year, the State of Cashmere has imposed an import duty on aniline 

 dyes, with the express purpose of fostering the use of the old natural dyes, in prepar- 

 ing the textiles for which Cashmere is renowned, and of discouraging the use of ani- 

 line dyes in this industry, as it was feared that the use of fugitive ani'ine dyes would 

 lower the esteem in which these textiles are held. The imposition of this duty pro- 

 vided the occasion for expressions of opinion in the daily papers on the relative 

 merits of the 'indigenous Indian dyes and the so-called ' aniline' dyes, e.g., — 



Statesman, August ist, 1906 : — " The Kashmir Durbar has taken a step which 

 will, it may be hoped, go a long way to save various beautiful arts, for which the Vale 

 of Kashmir is famous, from deterioration or destruction. The Durbar has decided 

 to charge a heavy (45 per cent.) duty on all aniline dyes at the frontier, and at 

 a certain distance within the frontier to confiscate and at once destroy them." 



Statesman, August 9th, 1906 : — " The use of aniline dyes by Indian artisans and 

 handicraftsmen is a danger to which attention has been drawn frequently." 



It appears then that the popular opinion in this country is still in favour of the 

 natural dyes, and that the aniline dyes are ousting the natural dyes only on account 

 of their greater cheapness, and of the greater ease with which they can be used. An 

 expression of this opinion may be found in " A Monograph on Dyes and Dyeing in 

 Bengal," by N. N. Banerjee, Asst. Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Bengal, 

 1896. This author says : " European dyes, which are not as fast as indigenous dyes, 

 appear to commend themselves to the people of this country on account of their cheap- 

 ness and their brilliancy of colour. The ease with which they can be used makes 

 them also more popular." 



For many years a similar opinion has been held in Europe as to the relative merits 

 of artificial dyes and of the natural dyes there available. (It will be seen from the 

 context that all the more valuable Bengal indigenous dye-stuffs have been examined 



Mem. A.S.B. 36-4-07 



