INDIA, HEMP AND ELAX, AT LEEDS. 



57 



superseded by machinery, that it is incompatible with the 

 times in which No. 60 lea yarns are selling at 5s. 6d. per 

 bundle, which fifteen years ago realised 10s. per bundle, 

 although Flax is now as high as it was then. Not only is 

 additional raw material wanted to meet the demand, but the 

 improvements in the mode of preparing to create that addition 

 to our raw material is absolutely necessary to further the 

 object. My observations are not those of a mere theorist — 

 my whole life has been devoted (the last twelve years in par- 

 ticular) to the trade, and if my discovery and inventions, 

 applied to increase the resources in fibrous productions meet 

 with the approbation which I think they merit, I will freely 

 place my patents and my time in the hands of a company of 

 spinners and merchants, for the mutual benefit of all who 

 may join in working them. 



The president, Mr. Lupton, having understood from Mr. 

 Dickson that his visit to Leeds was with the view of having 

 his Indian productions spun and woven (as they have been 

 done in Amiens and Lyons, into velvets and plush, as they 

 stand up in the pile and are more like silk than any other 

 material") desired to have a supply of Rheea fibre that he 

 might have them spun and woven ; and another gentleman 

 present, Mr. Martin, had a portion of Mr. Dickson's Pine 

 Apple fibre, with a view to its being spun and woven. It was 

 then proposed and seconded by the gentlemen present that a vote 

 of thanks should be awarded to Mr. Dickson for his explanation 

 on a matter of such importance to the manufacturing interest. 



The compliment was acknowledged by Mr. Dickson with 

 thanks. 



After having the quality of the yarns tested by weaving 

 into plain cloth, drills, ship's canvas, and diaper, I had the wool 

 or the shorts of the Indian fibres, scribbled as wool, and mixed 

 and spun with wool, into yarns ; and as those Indian fibres are 

 much of the nature of sheep's wool, and will shrink like 



