xii 



CONTENTS. 



Ireland, proving his inconsistency with his writings in 1850, in 

 favour of and quoting Swift's policy on the thriving of a 

 kingdom, and proving, by Mr. Druce's profit on Flax- growing, 

 that the Editor is not competent to give advice on the subject 161 — 165 



Eeturns of Elax grown in 1863 and 1864, by Mr. W. Donelly, 

 Registrar-General, Dublin, and further remarks on the warning 

 voice of the "Standard," and the truly absurd views and 

 ignorance of the linen and Elax trade of Ireland, as Sir R. 

 Kane's experiments upset his theoretical assertions . . 166—171 



The author's first success in spinning rheea fibre, Elax, and hemp, 

 on cotton machinery, in Preston, and the expressed opinion of 

 the late Sir Wm. Brown, Bart., of Liverpool, in its favour, and 

 that such must go far to revolutionise the trade of Lancashire 172 — 173 



Letter from Messrs. Birley, Brothers, of Preston, to the author, 

 after the rheea spun Dy itself, with yarns spun from rheea fibre 

 and Sirat cotton mixed 174 



Observations on the above yarns when woven into cloth, and sent 

 on to Sir C. Wood and Mr. Gladstone, recommending it in 

 place of cotton cloth for the army in India, as it could be 

 made for half the price of cotton cloth 175 — 176 



Letter from the author in answer to the Editor of the "Mark Lane 

 Express," on his patents for converting green Flax-straw into 

 fine white fibre in five hours 177 — 181 



Letter from the late Dr. J. E. Royle, of the Hon. East India 

 Company, from whom the author had the first samples of rheea 



and other East Indian fibres . 183 



Observations on the necessity of absentee landowners in Ireland 

 having Flax-cultivation extended in the south and west, to 

 prevent workhouses being again, like Tralee, crammed with 

 7,300 human beings doomed to misery from want of employment 184 — 186 



Letter to the late Marquis of Lansdowne, and reply from his 



London agent 187 — 188 



Observations by the " Armagh Guardian" on the prepared fibre. 

 Letter to " Bell's Messenger" on the result of preparing green 

 Flax- straw for Mr. Dand, the tenant of Lord Lovaine, in 

 Northumberland 189—190 



Letter to the " Cork Constitution" on the result of the Governor of 

 the prison having employed the prisoners to prepare green 

 Flax-straw ..... ..... 191—192 



Observations of the " Londonderry Standard" on my fibres . . 192 — 193 



The Editor of the " Morning Herald's," notice of my first patented 



Flax preparing machine . 194 



