Sept. 1, 1865.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 
85 
THE FIBRES OF COMMERCE. 
BY THE EDITOR. 
Although we have for many years past been largely increasing our 
imports of all materials suited for the purposes of textile fabrics, the 
manufacture of cordage, matting, paper, &c, yet the wants of commerce 
increase so rapidly with the advance of civilization, the extension of 
shipping, the progress of wealth, the general /comforts of the people, and 
the increasing trade we carry on with other countries, that the demand 
still exceeds the supply. Our imports of cotton are quite insufficient 
for our wants. And so with the materials for our paper supply, the 
25,000 tons of rags we import, added to the 50,000 or 60,000 tons ob- 
tained at home, are found quite inadequate for the mills of the manu- 
facturers, even with 44,000 tons of raw vegetable substances added, the 
average consumption of paper being about 80,000 to 100,000 tons per 
annum, with a largely-increasing demand. 
To go lully into all the details respecting the production and sources 
of supply of old staples and new fibrous materials, would here be im- 
possible. We, however, greatly require detailed and accurate informa- 
tion as to the modes ol cultivation and the besflocalities for producing 
many of the plants proposed as suitable for supplying fibre. And more 
especially is it essential to obtain particulars as to the preparation of 
the fibre, the cost at which it can be furnished, the quantity at present 
produced and available on demand, the capabilities for extending the 
culture, and what are the chief difficulties that may stand in the way of 
supply, such as distance irom the sea-board, cost of labour, and expense 
of transit. The means of extracting fibre cheaply and expeditiously 
from plants upon a small as well as a large scale, notwithstanding all 
the announcements and all the promises of machinery for the purpose, 
made at the several International Exhibitions, is still a desideratum. 
1,000,000 cwt. of foreign-grown hemp, 2,000,000 cwt. of jute and other 
vegetable substances of the nature of hemp, 1,800,000 cwt. of foreign 
flax are imported, besides our home grown supplies. 
The stoppage in the supply of hemp and bristles during the Russian 
war led to large demands being made on India and other countries, for 
suitable materials to supply the deficiency/and commerce soon brought 
to the aid of the manufacturer many new substances adapted to his 
wants, and pointed out others which might be largely and cheaply pro- 
duced. The late Dr. Royle, with the magnificent resources of the 
East India Company at command, threw his vast knowledge into the 
gap, and in his work "On the Fibrous Plants of India," and his lec- 
tures before the Society of Arts " On the Indian Fibres fit for Textile 
Fabrics, for Rope, and for Paper-Making,'^ accompanied by the very 
interesting collections of fibres whichhe exhibited, together with their 
