The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-25 00:00:00

A SAD STORY.

There is, or was until recently, a tall handsome man con-
fined in a lunatic asylum at Camberwell. He used to sit
mournfully for days and weeks in a corner of his lone room,
little given to talk and less to physical exercise. Now and
then, however, he broke out in a sudden blaze of excitement,
repeating incoherent sentences, in which only the word " flax
cotton" was distinctly audible. The unhappy man's name
was Chevalier Claussen. By birth a Dane and a man of high
scientific education, he gave himself up early to the study of
practical chymistry, particularly those branches connected
with the manufacture of textile fabrics. After years of labour
and many experiments he came to the conclusion that the fibre
of flax, if rightly manipulated, is superior to cotton Toro all
purposes in which the latter is employed, and therefre
ought to supersede it, as well on this account as being an
indigenous plant, for the supply of which Europe might
remain independent of serf or slave. Claussen's experf...
ments were well received in his own country, and his King:
' gave him the title of Chevalier, but, unfortunately, little
other substantial encouragement. The inventor then went
to France, married a young French lady, was presented at
Court, and received the order of the Legion of honour ;
but again got little else but promises of future reward for
the years of labour devoted to the one great object he had
in hand. Somewhat weary of his work and sorely pressed
by poverty, Chevalier Claussen next came to this country,
arriving just in time for the International Exhibition of
1851. ,He displayed in the Hyde-park Palace some beautiful
articles made of flax-cotton, and set all the world in raptures
about the new invention, the more so as he freely explained
the secret of the process for converting flax straw into
material equal in all, and superior in some, respects to the
cotton fabric. The manipulation was simple enough, accoi d-
ing to Claussen's showing. The flax, cut into small pieces
by machinery, was left for a short while to the combined ac-
tion of alkaline solvents and of carbonated alkalis and acids,
which converted the fibre into a material very similar to
cotton, and fit even, to some extent, to be spun with cotton
machinery. The English manufacturers to whom the process
was explained were delighted ; nevertheless, they refused
with many thanks the chevalier's offer to work his inven-
tion. It was found that flax-cotton could not be profitably
spun without making various alterations in the existing
machinery, and to this the Lancashire millowners objected,
saying, " Why should we trouble ourselves about the new
raw material as long as we have got cotton in abundance ?"
With something of a prophetic vien, M. Claussen remon-
strated, arguing that the supply was not all to be depended
upon, and that, besides, it would be better and cheaper in
the long run to make European hands feed European mills,
by the aid of perfected steam agencies, than to leave the
task to the rude manual labour of unwilling bondsmen. It
was the voice of the preacher in the desert; Lancashire
listened not ; and when the Hyde-park Show was over,
Chevalier Claussen and his invention were no more thought
of than the man who discovered the compass. Surely trou-
bled in mind, and with abject poverty staring him in the
face, Claussen then pursued his pilgrimage, crossing the
Atlantic to America. What happened to him in the great.
Western Republic is not accurately known; but it is pre-
sumed that some 'cute native laid hold of the young
man from the old country, squeezing his brains and then
throwing him overboard. It was rumoured that Cheva-
lier Classen had got a "partner;" and not long after some-
body, partner cr otherwise, brought him back to this cowl-
, try, shutting him up in a lunatic asylum at Camberwell.
Hero the history of flax-cotton ends : the inventor in a
madhouse ; Lancashire without food for her mills and her
people.—Spectator.

GOUN7IRY MA R.K.L, 'A 6.

►.-

NORTHAMPTON—SATtrImAz.
Red wheat, 68s to —s; seconds, 55s to 575. Barley
scarce, and at nominal prices—malting sorts, 38s to 39s ;
grinding 30s to 35s per qr. Oats quoted at 25s to 32s
per 24 stone. Beans, 39s to 435; seconds, 37s to 40s.