160 



On East Indian Isinglass. 



regarded as a decided failure, as it has left us upwards of 

 2 3 000 rupees out of pocket.* If, on the other hand, it be 

 regarded as an experiment, by which the value of an article 

 unknown before in the European market was to be tried, 

 we think it has been eminently successful, and must lead 

 to permanently useful and beneficial results. 



Those who have purchased the first investment at Is. Id. 

 per lb. in 1840, appear to think " that Ss. 6d. per lb. is 

 nearer the price that it would now (1841) bring." No pro- 

 cess of mere reasoning or of argument, however conclusive, 

 could have led to this result. Nothing, in short, but an 

 extensive trial of the article, such as that which has been 

 afforded at our expence, could have demonstrated the value 

 of East Indian Isinglass, to the satisfaction of brokers and 

 consumers. 



There was no other way in which that trial could have 

 been made, but by taking its responsibility entirely upon 

 ourselves. We felt assured, that an application for an ad- 

 vance of public money for such an object would not be 

 attended to, and even if it could, that we could not make it ; 

 on the other hand, we felt perfectly satisfied as to the im- 

 portance of the object, and that there was no other way in 

 which the experiment could be made than by taking it 

 solely upon ourselves. 



* It will be seen by the annexed extracts from correspondence 

 with the Government that this sum has been liberally reimbursed to 

 us. — Ed. 



