14 



chemical, and so avoiding the complicated repetitions of the old system. In the treatment of cotton 

 goods, this is effectually accomplished; with linen goods, on the other hand, although owing to the 

 peculiarities in the chemical composition of the fibre, the treatment cannot be reduced to such simplicity, 

 the relative ^iroplification is even greater. The chief feature of the system, practically, is not the 

 chemicals employed, which are those of long standing, but the special apparatus and appliances by 

 means of which they are brought to act upon the fibre or goods. A full account, with drawings, will be 

 found in the " Textile Recorder," January 15, 1886, and the " Engineer," March 19, 1886, which should 

 be consulted by those who wish for further information. 



Hermite Bleaching System. — This is based upon the production of bleaching compounds by the electro- 

 lysis of solutions of chlorides, more especially of the chlorides of magnesium and calcium. The energy 

 of the current causes the fixation of active oxygen, which is in this, as in all the bleaching solutions at 

 present employed, the effective bleaching agent. It has been found, however, that the oxygen, fixed 

 in this way, has a much greater bleaching activity than the oxygen of bleaching powder. The economy 

 of the system comes to be calculated in the following way : — Units of current give units of oxygen 

 measured by the ordinary chemical test. These quantities have then to be extended, the first into 

 steam H. P. per annum, the latter into so much bleaching work accomplished. On such a calculation, 

 all local circumstances taken into account, the advantages of the system are great, even for application 

 in this country ; but in those Colonies, where (1) bleaching powder is an " exotic," but supplies of the 

 earthy chlorkies are available {e.g. mother liquors from sea salt) ; and (2) where water-power is plen- 

 tifully available, the advantages would be much greater. The matter is deserving the attention of 

 technologists in the Colonies. 



Having now completed the more special work of reporting upon the exhibits of fibres, and having 



in the investigation adopted a method which might be described as scientific a^> opposed to practical 



though I have endeavoured to show that in this domain science and practice never should be at variance 



I will iu taking a brief concluding survey of our subject, keep to the more distinctly commercial 

 aspects. 



First it will be interesting to get a general idea of the amount and distribution of the Colonial 

 and " foreign" trade in miscellaneous fibres and articles manufactured from them. On the next page 

 is a tabular account of the statistics of this trade for the year 1885, for which I am indebted to the 

 kindness of Mr. F. Bailey of the Board of Trade. 



Table B contains returns which, though partial in character, will have a particular interest for the 

 trades which they concern. They are of much less importance, in general bearing on the subject, in 

 comparison with the statistics in Table A. These are a fairly complete account of our whole trade in 

 these fibres, and the contrasts of the foreign and Colonial commerce are remarkable. 



It is not difficult to see that there is an ample field for a Colonial trade in flax and hemp, at the 

 expense of the foreigner. I have alluded to the exceptional agricultural circumstances which mark out 

 Canada for successful competition in the production of these fibres ; the Australasian Colonies may also 

 participate in this new direction of commerce, which we may look upon as certain to be progressively 

 realised. 



In jute the disparity between the trade with foreign countries and with British possessions, which 

 in other respects is simply enormous, is considerably modified ; and it is not a little remarkable that 

 the trade in this, the lowest of the textile fibres, should be greatest of all. 1 have shown cause for 

 expecting this fibre to give way before others of the same class but of superior properties ; but it is 

 unnecessary to point out that to seriously alter the proportions of so gigantic a commerce will be no 

 light undertaking. 



In hemp substitutes and " unenumerated fibres" the West Indies now play an inferior part, but 

 there can be no doubt that a large proportion of this commerce can be wrested by them from those who 

 now hold it. In paper materials and half stuff, what strikes me as a weak point is the enormous trade 

 in Esparto. 



By weakness I mean, the absence of any claim on the basis of ultimate properties to occupy a posi- 

 tion which at this time might well be regarded as unassailable. It is not an opportune moment to 

 introduce controversial matter, and without further entering into a discussion of this point I simply ex- 

 press an opinion that well-selected basts will vindicate a certain position as paper-making materials to 

 the displacement of Esparto which is now so prominently to the fore. 



The general conclusion to be drawn is that, with the single exception of the Indian trade in jute, 

 our Colonial commerce in fibres is insignificant, that on the other hand the producing capabilities of 

 the Colonies are enormous, and such commercial disabilities as may have hitherto prevented the de- 

 velopment of the trade, would no doubt disappear when seriously assailed. 



Whether we view this branch of commerce in the light of statistics only, or from the more compre- 

 hensive point of view which I have endeavoured to take up, it cannot be doubted that in the future 

 there will be, from time to time, large alterations in the volume and distribution of this trade. The 

 more important factors of this redistribution will be : (1) the extension of fibre-manufacturing' in- 

 dustries in the Colonies : and (2) changes in the aggregate, but still more in the relative consumption 

 of the raw materials. 



