176 



DICKSON ON THE 



.fights, the late Duke of Wellington, discarded linen drill, 

 then called Kussian duck, because it held the perspiration 

 when absorbed by that material, I took care to explain 

 to Mr. Gladstone the cause of that objection, and that the dry 

 resin-bound fibres of India were of a different nature to Flax, 

 and that it would not retain perspiration, but allowed it to 

 evaporate as cloth did ; and to this I added that the thousands 

 in Lancashire that are still suffering from want of employ- 

 ment, would be relieved if Rheea fibre were introduced. 

 But the ideas of practical men are never used by our rulers 

 until the last moment,— they are like the auctioneer's hammer, 

 only used when the last bid, or offer^ keeps the holder in pos- 

 session of the great mart, — where the eloquence of one is only 

 heard, and forgetting that by late teaching, buy in the cheapest 

 and sell in the dearest market, my suggestion arose, my offer 

 of cheap clothing for the army serving in India, remains to be 

 brought forward next session. 



I have made several trials of Newzealand Flax ( Phormium 

 Tenax ), but until lately I could not get rid of the hard, gritty 

 substa?ice that covers the fibre, but having got a large bale 

 from Messrs. Gibbs, Bright & Co., Liverpool, that had been 

 taken green from the soil, and by a new liquid that I am now 

 using, I get rid of the gritty or resin matter, the article which 

 can be had in Newzealand at £10 per ton, and brought to 

 London or Liverpool for £5 per ton, must become of vast 

 importance to the manufacturers of this country. I have it 

 cottonized, and offers for it at 6cl. per lb. from first class 

 cotton spinning firms in the North. 



