170 



On East Indian Isinglass. 



rations in the article to Messrs. Cantor and Co., continuing 

 however, to conduct the experiment as if it were still on our 

 own account, until all the article on hand, consisting of 47 

 chests of Isinglass, exclusive of the two chests presented to 

 Government, were completed, the whole amounting to about 

 50 maunds of 80 lbs. each. 



The outlay, exclusive of interest, insurance, and shipping 

 charges for this quantity was 6000 rupees, including the cost 

 of the impure article as extracted from the fish at the advanc- 

 ed rate of 40 to 55 rupees per maund ;* also package, the 

 erection of a shed, and the additional charge of 8 annas a seer 

 for shredding nearly two-thirds of the whole quantity, which 

 last item might have been saved had we known the prejudice 

 in the English wholesale market, (referred to p. 36, Royle's 

 pamphlet,!) against things in a powdered or cut state. Yet 

 under all the disadvantages of having to feel our way here 

 in the manufacture of a new article, and our ignorance of the 

 form best suited to the market at home, the outlay in India, in- 

 cluding all expenses, amounted to no more than 120 rupees 

 per maund, or 1/8 per lb., and unless the objection to the 

 shredded form operates unfavourably in the wholesale mar- 

 ket, the article will fetch 3s. 6d. per lb. Mr. Cantor, one of 

 the members of the firm to which the article was transferred, 

 and who being himself in London at the time of its arrival, 

 commenced disposing of it to retail dealers at 3s. 6d., but 

 after the failure of the house, the assignees will not perhaps 

 take the same interest in the article, and the brokers in the 

 wholesale market will thus be able once more to obtain 

 it at their own terms. The 4000 lbs. of which this invest- 

 ment consisted, (including the two chests forwarded to the 

 India House,) together with the 2235 lbs. of the preceding 



* It is procured at Arrakan and Moulmein at 30 rupees, aud if ex- 

 tensive means were employed, might be had for still less ; vide Calcutta 

 Journal of Natural History, 1841, pp. 452, 614. 



t Calcutta Journal of Natural History, 1842, p. 9o. 



