SILK SUPPLY ASSOCIATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 195, 20 August 1869, Page 2

SILK SUPPLY ASSOCIATION.

CFf om the Journal of ihe Chambers of Commerce.) On Thursday^ February 18, an important and influential meeting of gentlemen connected with the Silk Trade was. held at the office bf Stubbs' Mercantile Agency, Gresham-street, London, to consider the propriety of establishing a Silk Supply Association, on the model of the Cotton Supply* Association of Manchester. The meeting had been convened by Messrs. D. Chadwick, M.P., and Thos. Dickins, by a circular, in which they said : The high price of silk during the last few years, arising from disease in the silkworm in tbe countries formerly contributing, the greater portion of raw silk for European consumption, has produced the conviction in tbe minds of many of those interested ia silk manufacture, that the time has arrived when an effort should be made to repair the great national loss arising from this calamity by the establishment of a Silk Supply Association on a basis analagous to that of the Cotton Supply Association. Whilst the imports of raw silk have decreased nearly 40 per cent., the price has increased in some cases more than 100 per cent. The ob* jects of the proposed Association may bo briefly stated as follows :— Ist. — To stimulate the production of silk, by cottage cultivation and cultivation and otherwise, in every country where the mulberry tree is capable of giviug food to silkworms. 2nd. — To encourage the. -introduction ahd exchange of the. .eggs of the best Vkind of ~ silkworms in silk..producing districts. .- > Srd. — To offer practical suggestions and encouragement to the producers of silk for improving the quality, and securing a better classification, and for ensuring greater -care in the ' '^reeling of the silk. 4th. — To promote the cultivation of silk in the Various silk-producing districts in Indira where the production of silk has inpf recently increased, and in/p.thpgf districts of. India where the cultivation.of. the has almost ceased, but which are known to possess special advantages, by the growth of'the mulberry tree and the habits of the people, jibr its propa- .. gation. V : ~j sthi— To -promote the exportation oif cocoonstfrom countries not well able to reel them. '"-"' 6th.— To communicate with,the Foreign, ( ; . Colonial, and Indian Departments of Her Majesty's Government, and to ..-■a obtain the aid ofthe English Representatives in the British Colonies, and Consular Agents in all Foreign Countries, to (promote and extend „.''-: the cultivation: of '-;Silk.-- y ■*.*.,.. . It is intended that all the "Officers in connection with the proposed'Association shall be honorary, and that no payments be made, except for rent, clerks' services, V .. printing, postages, and office i management. It is estimated" that^subscription of one guinea a year will produce a sunoi: quite sufficient to! cpyer thpV necessary expenses of the Association fpr^the first year. vWe annex copy of a letter. from; L>r. Forbes Watson on the cultivation of Silk! in India: ;.: I)*_^: JSmj#^ letter lately^addressed, tpjme jpn the subject ; of]^the^Mest(^lisjimpnt -:of ; aV:Silk^Sm)ply J , Associatipn^baße^pnUhe: s^eVpripbipl^; • as the one 'jfoVMi^ch :'such anVimp^^ of Cotton; tiisv^ "w&ul-^mS^^ There; are, it appears tp ; me,K excellent *eaiiafss^^

■■-■ wide^an-* one' most worthy' of cultivation. ... We have; capital and can command the best appliances ; and there is no reason to V j suppose :'.that"'tHe. requisite artistic skill, '^|np,pn. ;^hich_' -so much depends, will be ■"wanting— -bin* manufacturers . are begin- . ning to see the importance of that. The main difficulty affecting the silk trade of Europeis; as you are so well aware, the uncertainty counected with, the supply of the raw material. This difficulty has of late.years been enhanced by tbe failure of its cultivation in France,, the effect of which, of course, is to render her more dependent upon foreign of supply, and so help in some measure to equalise — so to speak— the elements of competition between her manufactures and ours. A judiciously worked Silk Supply Association, like that suggested by you, is, I think, very worthy of support. I believe it might be instrumental in improving and extending the cultivation of silk in India and elsewhere, and, if established, I shall* be happy to be of any service to it in my power; I am, dear Sir, yours, &c, J. Fokbes Watson. To le continued. .. Messrs. Willians, Overbury & Co.'s wool circular received by the last mail says that " the system of hot water washing, wnich has been so extensively adopted during the past season in almost all the Australian Colonies, is bringing many well-known and favourite flocks into disfavour with buyers.. The heat of the water opens the staple of all but the finest portion of the fleece, and imparts to the, wool a harshness of touch and curli- ; ness of. fibre to which manufacturers strongly ; pbject.. It' therefore becomes a -question for the consideration of growers, how far it is for their interest, to continue practice, wbich not only fails to improve the appearance of their wool or to enhance its value, but must at the same time r seriously diminish the weight of Pach fleece."