RAW-SILK. 



185 



when a thread breaks, and prevent their perform- (L ) 

 ing their work with that degree of evenness and B^fdofTrade, 

 nicety, which is essential to the quality of the 29Juiyi83i. 

 silk, on which depends its selling price in Eng- 

 land. We speak, however, with diffidence on 

 these points, as the experiment is only a recent 

 one, and it should be submitted to the test of more 

 minute inquiry. 



The foregoing considerations have suggested to 

 us the expediency of establishing an e^vperimental 

 Jilature immediately under our own supervision, 

 though nominally under the charge of our Secre- 

 tary or his Assistant, to be conducted by an expe- 

 rienced native gomastah ; and the services of such 

 a person are now procurable who was supervisor 

 at Gonatea, and succeeded in manufacturing some 

 of the best silk ever produced in this country. The 

 outline of the plan is as follows : 



That an experimental filature be got up within 

 a short distance of Calcutta, and within the range 

 of the cocoon aurungs, consisting of from one hun- 

 * to one hundred and fifty basins, to be con- 

 structed after the plans submitted by Messrs. 

 Becher and Shakespear, fr each of which a 

 saving is said to be effected of seventy-five per 

 cent, in fuel. That other ghyes likewise, which 

 have been strongly recommended to the Board, 

 be tried ; also Mr. Becher's water-works, and the 

 steam apparatus as used at Commercolly ; several 

 new plans for reels to be tried, and the various 



improvements 



