76 



RAW-SILK. 



(G.) erected, the proper instruments provided, and the 

 Bengal Workmen paid by him ; the object being to insure 

 July 1831. ^i^a^^ ii^Q silk-worms should have a full supply of 

 food and be managed with the greatest care and 

 attention, and thereby afford silk of a superior 

 quality to that made from cocoons supplied by 

 the pykars ; and further, that the cost of this silk ) 

 would be considerably less than the common rates 

 of the factory. 



This experiment, if successful at Santipore, 

 might have led to improvement in the general 

 production of silk, and we have attended with 

 much interest to the notices respecting it recorded 

 upon your Consultations, and have frequently ad- 

 verted to it in our despatches. 



As the supply of silk which we have received 

 of this neez cultivation has been very small, com- 

 pared with the amount of the monies which have 

 been expended in its production, we feared that 

 the experiment was not going on satisfactorily ; 

 and it is with much concern we learn, from your 

 letter of the 28th September 1830, paragraphs 

 147 to 150, not only that it has entirely failed in 

 producing a supply of silk, but that outstanding 

 balances have been suffered to accumulate to a 

 large extent. We trust, however, that in the ex- 

 planation you have called for, the Resident will 

 be able to show that the business may be brought 

 to a close, without incurring so much loss as the 

 last report of the Board of Trade gave us reason 

 to apprehend. 



