170 COTTON IN THE M1DEAS PRESIDENCY. [CHAP. Y. 



might be practically tried. The results of their trial 

 by the Madras Chamber of Commerce, and subse- 

 quently by Dr. Wight, may be thus exhibited. 

 2 17 Report of the Madras Chamber of Commerce : the 

 working of the Cottage saw Gin unsatisfactory. — In 

 Mr. Nelson's November one of these Cottage saw gins 



Noif r i849 was SUDrQ i^^ e( i "t° "t ne Madras Chamber of 

 Pari? Return Commerce, and was tried twice in the pre- 

 (1857), p. 383. gence f t | ie memDers# Mr. Nelson, the 



Chairman, reported that the members present regarded 

 the result as unsatisfactory : — 1st, Because the mode of 

 operation might have been deranged by a wrong ad- 

 justment of the saws ; and 2ndly, Because the gear 

 might have been put in better working order by a 

 person thoroughly acquainted with the machine. The 

 results were thus summed up. The seed Cotton sub- 

 mitted to the action of the gin consisted of New Or- 

 leans, Bourbon, and Tinnevelly. With the New Or- 

 leans the gin did not effectually separate the wool from 

 the seed; its action was frequently choked, and the 

 small quantity delivered was considerably injured in 

 the staple. "With the Bourbon the effect was worse ; 

 the staple being very much cut up, and rendered unfit 

 for spinning. With the Tinnevelly the gin entirely 

 failed to separate the staple from the seed ; and such 

 portions as came through were utterly useless for 

 spinning purposes. 



248 Expense of the Cottage saw Gin an insuperable bar 

 to its employment in India. — But even apart from 

 these defects in the working of the Cottage saw gin, 

 the Chamber was of opinion that its cost would prove 

 an insuperable bar to its general use in the Cotton 

 districts ; and it was doubted whether a Native would 

 voluntarily work a machine of such a description, even 

 if its successful operation was rendered much more 

 evident. The Chairman's report concluded with the 

 significant notification that no member of the Chamber 

 had expressed a wish to purchase any of the gins. 



249 Br. Wight reports favourably of the Cottage saw 

 Gin. — Four months after the foregoing trial, Dr. Wight 

 sent to the Madras Government a highly favourable 



