248 



DICKSON ON FLAX-CULTURE IN INDIA 



Corbett, who appeared to be thoroughly acquainted with the 

 history of his country, and the debates on the slave and other 

 questions in Congress, which lead to the chances of the separa- 

 tion of the Southern States from the Northern, impressed my 

 mind, year after year, in the belief that the Indian fibres, 

 which turned up so fine in my hands, as well as Flax, 

 would, in case of a scarcity of cotton, come in for many 

 purposes into the industry of Lancashire ; and now, if our 

 Irish M.P.'s can be brought to see their duty to the farmers 

 and starving labourers, whose wages in some districts 

 average 8d. per day, and some Is., and none above Is. 6d., 

 Irish Flax will be made to cut cotton out of the trade of 

 Lancashire for house purposes, such as sheetings, table-cloths, 

 towellings, shirtings, &c, as cotton cloths are only superior 

 for outer garments for printing for female wear, whilst 

 Flax for every other purpose is cheaper and more durable. 



As Lord Wodehouse has now accepted the appointment 

 of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (as successor of the Earl of 

 Carlisle, who did little, if anything in his time, towards 

 promoting Flax-culture in Ireland), we must hope to see 

 that his excellency will not give ear to the old, used-up 

 (Castle) dictators, but use his own superior judgment, in 

 planning how he may promote the employment of the people 

 by working up the productions of the soil, to the highest 

 state of value and perfection for exportation, and as a great 

 increase in Flax cultivation has taken place this year, a 

 matter created by the progressive moves on the part of 

 landowners, we must hope that his excellency will see the 

 necessity of forwarding the movement by having the so-called 

 but absurdly named workhouses turned into factories, with 

 machinery to prepare Flax for the farmers, a matter recom- 

 mended by one of the most benevolent and patriotic nobles- 

 men in Ireland, the Marquis of Downshire — (see page 129) — 

 when president of the Belfast Flax Society, at one of the 



