359 
bearing  on  her  industrial  future  than  that  which  relates  to  the 
initiation  of  new  avenues  for  the  employment  of  planting  capital, 
at  a time  when,  in  some  directions  it  had  been  hard  hit  by  currency 
changes  and  excess  of  production.  There  can  be  no  doubt  what- 
ever that  is  the  raw  material  is  extensively  grown  in  India  for 
utilisation  by  the  English  and  Continental  manufacturers,  ramie 
spinning  and  weaving  mills  will  in  course  of  time  spring  up  in  the 
great  commercial  centres  of  the  country,  and  thus  India  will  par- 
ticipate in  ramie  manufacture,  as  she  participated  to-day  in  the 
production  of  cotton  goods  made  from  her  own  raw  material.  Thus 
a great  step  forward  will  be  taken  in  the  industrial  development 
so  essential  to  adequately  relieving  the  pressure  on  the  soil,  which 
though  temporarily  retarded  of  late  by  an  unusual  succession  of 
famines,  must  become  more  and  more  acute  with  the  growth  of 
population  and  the  rise  in  the  standard  of  comfort  now  being  wit- 
nessed. Even  in  the  early  years  of  ramie  cultivation  we  may 
expect  to  see  some  of  the  preliminary  processes  of  manufacture, 
particularly  that  of  degumming  carried  out  on  the  plantations  prior 
to  shipment  to  Western  factories,  in  order  to  reduce  the  cost  of 
freight.  On  economic  grounds  therefore  every  encouragement 
should  be  given  to  Indian  planters  to  grow  ramie  of  the  right  kind 
and  in  the  right  way.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  plant  can 
be  cultivated  successfully  in  other  countries  beside  China  and  India 
and  it  behoves  the  captains  of  the  planting  industry  in  the  latter 
Empire  to  establish  her  share  in  the  promising  industry  before  the 
ground  is  occupied  elsewhere  and  India  is  put  out  of  the  running. 
At  the  very  least,  to  quote  the  formula  in  such  general  use  just 
now  in  connection  with  inter-imperial  fiscal  relations,  the  case  is 
one  for  full  and  careful  enquiry,  for  the  policy  of  the  open  eye  and 
the  open  mind. 
(We  reproduce  this  sanguine  letter  in  apposition  to  the  important 
correspondence  from  Mr.  Baxendale,  in  order  to  show  the  view 
taken  by  people  at  home  on  the  subject.  It  is  quite  clear  it  seems 
that  the  reasons  why  ramie  culture  is  only  a nascent  industry  in 
the  East  at  present  lie  with  the  buyers  and  not  with  the  planter. 
The  perseverance  and  energy  of  Mr.  BaxendaLE  deserves  a much 
higher  reward  than  has  been  accorded  to  him  by  the  Home  Syndi- 
cates.— Ed.) 
I'o  the  Agent-General, 
2j,  Birchi^fgton  J'load, 
West  Hampstead,  \.  W. 
I would  call  your  attention  to  the  possibilities  of  Ramie 
(Rhea),  which  undoubtedly  is  the  Textile  of  the  future.  If  you 
can  grow  this  fibre,  which  is  easily  cultivated,  there  is  a vast  trade 
with  Europe  ]:>ossible.  It  would  be  specially  welcome  in  England 
as  a rival  to  cotton,  and  would  do  nuu'h  to  pre\ent  the  corner  in 
cotton  so  easily  workeJ  by  American  capitalists,  as  cxjieriencc 
