June 1907.] 



FIBRES. 



THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND PAPER PULP IN BURMA. 



Notwithstanding the fact that indigenous paper-mills exist in India enormous 

 quantities of papers of all kinds are imported annually into India and Burma. It 

 has often been pointed out that the extensive forests of the country must and 

 undoubtedly do contain vast quantities of materials suitable for paper-making from 

 wood pulp. The manufacture of paper from this latter article may be said to have 

 been brought to a fine art on the Continent of Europe and in America. It is true 

 that some experts have said that this paper is not suitable for use for permanent 

 records since it is contended that it will crumble to pieces in a few years. We are 

 not aware that this contention has ever yet been proved, in spite of the controversy 

 that has been waged over the point tor some years past. 



The question that has forced itself to the front is, is it possible to manu- 

 facture from the local forest resources in India a paper that could compete 

 successfully with the imported wood pulp article. To decide this problem the 

 Government of India last year requested Mr. R. W. Sindall to visit Burma and 

 report on the possibility of utilising wood, bamboo and other fibres as raw material 

 for paper-making. Mr. Sindall's enquiry extended over four months and the results 

 are embodied in the Report before us. 



As long ago as 1873 the Government of India issued details of the paper trade 

 then carried on principally by natives of India, quoting the names of the plants 

 in use for x^aper-making aud also of others considered to be serviceable. Since that 

 several pamphlets have appeared but no appreciable progress has been made. Mr. 

 Sindall's first experiments were with bamboos, and he shows that a paper pulp of 

 excellent quality can be prepared from these and can be made at a price which will 

 leave a considerable margin of profit. A ton of unbleached bamboo pulp can be 

 produced for about £5-10-0 including manufacturing cost, interest, and sundry 

 charges. This cost supplemented by freight and other charges to England on pulp 

 manufactured for export would be increased to about £7-10-0 as the price delivered 

 at London or Liverpool. As the pulp is of an excellent quality a higher price than 

 that would be realised since wood pulp is ordinarily valued at from £8 to £9 per ton. 

 Therefore as an article of export there appear to be considerable chances before 

 such a trade. 



As regards local paper mills the author considers that the erection of such 

 would offer prospects of a lucrative business in Burma in view of the large demand 

 for paper existing in the country. With a view to starting such an industry he 

 suggests that the Government of Burma might very probably arrange to have 

 several tons of picked bamboo sent to Europe for treatment on a large scale for 

 ultimate conversion into paper. Such an experiment would help to determine the 

 value of such paper on the home market. Mr, Sindall next turned his attention to 

 several different kinds of Burman trees with the object of ascertaining whether 

 they would furnish a suitable wood pulp. Twenty-four samples of woods were 

 tried and found wanting. The trees tried were Spondias mangifera, Gmelina 

 arborea. Anthocephalus Cadamba, Bombax malabaricum. 



Mr. Sindall's verdict on the woods was that though they might find a local 

 market in Burma for cheap paper the pulp would not be able to compete with the 

 high class wood pulps obtainable in England. The most suitable of the woods 

 appear to be Spondias mangifera, Gmelina arborea, Anthocephalus Cadamba, Bombax 

 malabaricum. In connection with the use of the woods it should be borne in mind, 



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