PROCEEDINGS 
OF THE 
GEOLOGICAL AND POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY 
<£f tfje Wizst ftftring of ¥orfcsf)tre, 
AT THE FORTY-THIRD MEETING, HELD IN THE 
TOWN-HALL, PONTEFRACT, ON TUESDAY, MAY 29TH, 1855. 
Richard Monckton Milnes, Esq., M.P., Vice-Presi- 
dent, in the Chair. 
The Right Hon. Lord Londesborough, of Grimston- 
Park, and John Tollerton Leather, Esq., of Leven- 
thorpe-Hall, were unanimously elected Members of the 
Society. 
The Chairman called upon Mr. Durden, of Leeds, 
to read the first Paper : — 
on new materials for the manufacture of paper. 
by e. h. durden, f.c.s., leeds. 
In order to afford some idea of the increase which has of 
late years taken place in the quantity of paper manufactured 
and consumed in this country, I would call attention to a con- 
sideration of the following statistics : — In the five years, 1830 
to 1834, the quantity of paper manufactured in this country 
averaged 70,988,131 lbs. per annum ; in the five years, 1849 
to 1853, the average annual quantity produced rose to 
E E 
