Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-10-08
The New Substitute for Cotton -Jute


In the telegraph summary of the Scotia
news yesterday it was stated that great
excitement had been produced in Eng
land by experiments in .iute which show
that that article can be made excellent
substitute for cotton. Quotations had in.
creased fifty per cent over those of O
month previous. In the "city article" Of
: the London Times of the 18th the following
allusion is made on the subject:
In Jute the Improvement has lately been
extraordinary The movement appears
to have greatly accelerated to-day bv a
statement that Messrs. Thompson 4 Co..
of Sleafield works. Dundee. have intro
duced method for its treatment ,rh;ck
'CiH enable Il to be Spns an cottoa marh;nery
and in fact TO ttt!LGU 10 a great dsrss he pyr-
poses Of that staple
about ten or fifteen years ago it WAS
scarcely known as an article of commerce,
but the quantity now annually exported
| from India is thought to be seventy thous-
and or eighty thousand tons. 1t comes
principally from the Eastern part of BEN
gal, and is very easily cultivated The
great purpose TO which it was applied on a
large scale was the manufacture of gunny
bags. and subsequently, it has been intro
have been used in considerable quantities
in America. A year would be required
before new crop could be supplied. but
it could then be furnished to meet any
possible demand"
In the ''city article" of the following
day the subject is further alluded TO:
''The number ofapplicants yesterday at
the counting house Of Messrs. Robinson |
4 10 Ia ~
pared jute under the patent of Thompson |
4 Co., of Dundee, was very great. Those
among them who are woolen spinners are
stated generally to have expressed de-
cided opinion as to the value and adapta-
bility of the material for mixing with
woolen manufactures. The cotton spin
ners also seemed disposed to consider
that it will answer very well for mixing
with cotton in the manufacture of cloths,
although not for use alone as an entire
substitute for cotton. 1t is stated that
the quantity ofjute now ahoat for London
is 4S42 to US against 5157 at the corrospon-
ding period of last year, and to Liverpool
3l5O tons against 2456, so that the aggre-
gate is almost exactly the same at this
period. The rise on iutesince Sd inst. 30
per cent.
Jute, which seems TO drive huge spike
in the coffin of King Cotton, is a fibrous
described as grass, in appear
ance like coarse flax, and hitherto been
from the East Indies chiefly for
the manufacture of mats and carpets
1t is remarkably beautiful fibre. soft,
silky and easily spun. The great diff
Guilty with it has been lack of strength
and durability. These qualities have
doubtless been supplied by the improve :
nents which now bring it prominently
before the world as substitute for cotton.
Herepeth's Journal several years ago, in
an article on jute, said that if strength :
md durability were not wanting 1T would
probably supercede all other fibrous ma
,erial," and thus described the article and $
Is use: From the period of its first pro- :
iuction in the clear state. it slowly, and !.
If its own accord, changes its color, tossing :
he beautiful pearly white. which at first =
and assuming successive
hades of fawn-color and brown. At the !.
anne time its strength proportionally !,
Circumstances hasten or re-
ard this decay, and moisture is particu-
srly injurious toit. High-pressure steam :
lways melts it away so that when sail :
10th, adulerated with jute, is submitted "
o high-pressure steam (of only 80 pounds I
PRESSURE for four hours, mere washing
fterwards removes the jute Its believd
hat an improvement in the process of a
citing would increase both its strength Z
nd durability; but it is very doubtful if u
can ever be rendered equal in these re- y
pectsto either hemp or flax.