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SOME  REMARKS  UPON  SHELLAC,  ETC. 
some  of  the  largest  lac  factories  are  on  the  banks  of  the  Ganges; 
but  then  in  the  more  peaceful  districts  this  reason  cannot  be  con- 
sidered tenable.  I  am  somewhat  inclined  to  suppose  that  there 
is  really  a  natural  scarcity  in  the  jungle  of  the  little  lac-produc- 
ing insect,  and  that  these  two  causes,  operating  together,  have 
brought  about  the  present  state  of  matters.  One  very  incom- 
prehensible thing  is,  that  the  prices  of  lac  dye  have  not  risen, 
and  that  there  is  a  plentiful  supply  of  this  article  in  the  market. 
This,  of  course,  can  only  be  accounted  for  in  two  ways — either, 
that  the  supply  meets  the  demand,  or  that  very  large  quantities 
have  been  stored  up  before  the  scarcity  of  lac  began. 
The  quantity  of  all  kinds  of  gum  lac  exported  from  Calcutta 
annually  about  eight  years  ago  was  supposed  to  be  about  1800 
tons,  while,  in  1858,  it  fell  to  about  700  tons,  in  1859  about  a 
fourth  less,  while  during  the  present  year  the  quantity  has 
considerably  increased.  But  in  November,  1858,  the  stocks 
on  hand  in  London  and  Liverpool  were  3959  chests  and  bags  ; 
same  month  in  1859,  1316,  and  in  November,  1860  (last  month), 
1345.  Of  these  I  cannot  tell  the  relative  proportions  of  orange, 
garnet,  or  livery.  Of  course,  all  descriptions  are  included. 
There  are  vessels,  however,  now  afloat  and  expected  to  reach 
England  in  due  course,  having  on  board  no  less  than  3192  chests 
and  363  bags  of  shellac,  which,  doubtless,  if  they  do  not  sink  to 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  ought  to  raise  our  home  stocks,  and  tend 
to  reduce  prices  ;  but  we  are  told,  on  the  other  hand,  that  there 
is  a  large  demand  for  the  American  and  foreign  market,  while 
all  our  drug  and  other  merchants  at  home  are  so  bare  of  stock, 
that  they  will  be  ready  to  buy  whenever  the  price  moderates. 
I  dare  say  it  must  have  occurred  to  more  than  one  to  inquire 
why,  with  such  extravagant  prices,  some  other  substance  or  com- 
pound has  never  been  thought  of  and  introduced  instead  of  shel- 
lac. This  has  been  done,  but  most  unsuccessfully.  When  in 
London,  about  eight  months  ago,  I  was  shown  an  article  which 
a  company  just  established  were  about  to  make  and  sell  instead 
of  shellac.  The  price  was  X3  per  cwt.  cheaper,  and  those  about 
to  engage  in  its  manufacture  were  sanguine  as  to  the  ultimate 
results.  I  was  told,  whenever  it  was  ready  to  send  out  in  quan- 
tity, a  sample  would  be  sent.  Accordingly,  about  a  month 
afterwards,  a  parcel  arrived,  regarding  which  my  opinion  was  re- 
