RAW -SILK. 



189 



vocated by their several projectors, and their nierits 

 in most respects so nearly equal, that we find it BLfdofTr^e, 

 difficult duly to apportion our recommendation in '-^^ ^^^s- ^^^s. 

 favour of each of them. At a time when it was con- 

 sidered desirable to add to the number of basins, 

 without incurring further expense in the enlarge- 

 ment of the filature buildings, the quads appeared 

 to possess the paramount advantage over all the 

 other plans, combined with that of economizing 

 fuel ; but Mr. Becher, with all his increased means 

 of manufacturing silk at the Company's basins, of 

 which there are now at Radnagore 2,794, has failed 

 to procure cocoons more than sufficient to employ 

 one-third of that number, the remaining portion of 

 the silk provided by him being furnished by con- 

 tractors, as has been generally the case at Radna- 

 gore and Hurripaul. Thus the object of adding to 

 the number of his basins is defeated. 



Various are the causes assigned for the Radna- 

 gore Pykars objecting to their cocoons being wound 

 off at the Company's basins, at the same price 

 allowed at all the other factories ; but as they are 

 paid on the seer of silk procured, it is natural to 

 suppose that they would object to any newly in- 

 vented basin or reel, which might have a tendency 

 to lessen the produce of their cocoons by wastage, 

 or in any other way ; and that the quads possess 

 this defect in a certain degree (though this has been 

 greatly exaggerated at Rungpore) is clearly shewn, 

 by statements submitted with our Secretary's note 



of 



