330 



DICKSON ON THE VALUE GE HIS PATENT 



On my first visit I had only a few pounds of green hemp 

 and a quantity of rheea fibre, and the master rope-maker told 

 me I must have at least half a hundred-weight of each, as they 

 could not spin less. I therefore left what I had brought 

 down, and returned to London, and in ten days after I sent 

 another bale of green hemp down, and followed it to the 

 dockyard ; on my arrival at the hotel I met a party who had 

 heard that in my absence the few pounds I had left had been 

 spun and tested, and that it was so much stronger than any 

 ever spun in the yard previous to mine being spun that the 

 rope-makers were determined not to spin it. I had my 

 suspicion when I left it, that I would not get fair play, and I 

 caused a friend of mine, Capt. Adderley Sleigh to write to 

 Capt. Goldsmith before I went down a second time, therefore 

 I was well prepared for the result. I, therefore, called at 

 once on Capt. Goldsmith, but took no notice of what I had 

 heard, only that I knew that my stuff would stand 20 per 

 cent., of a strain more than the best hemp in the stores, and 

 I hoped he would see me get justice, as I thought the rope- 

 makers were rather inclined not to spin my hemp. He then 

 assured me I should have everything done, and he would see 

 to it himself, and the strain trials were made by his direction 

 in his presence, and I did expect that the promised result, so 

 successful in my favour, would have been reported ; but no, 

 the old hands do not like to see strangers introduce improve- 

 ments that they have not been able to discover, after thirty or 

 forty years' residence at their ease in the employment of Her 

 Majesty, and consequently my superior method of cleaning 

 hemp, before being spun, by which means the yarns are 

 allowed to be twisted, more close, level and strong, was 

 allowed to pass, as a matter not to be reported worthy of the 

 notice of the Lords of the Admiralty. I was then negociating 

 a sale of my patents to Mr. Whittaker, of Bradford, for 

 £10,000, and was telegraphed to when at Chatham to 



