, 1875-11-06
NEW MATERIALS FOR PAPER MAKING.
(BYTHoMAs' R~ouTLEDaE, ENGLAND

snacisI attention, as I believe it would be difficult,
If not impossible, to meet with any others to COM
pare with them in the essential points, ofrellable sup
ply at extremely low cost combined with quality.
With this conviction have devoted much atten-
ton to perfecting a simple and economical system
of treating them, in order to produce a hbrous
Paper iStock,'' considering that to be the most
practicable and best form in which they can be
introduced into the Market.
One of these materials, "MEGAssE," or BE-
GASsE,' fulfls the main conditions which would
be looked for by the Paper-manufacturer inasmueh
as vast quantities are available at a low cost, ana
owing to the popularity of its production being
the necessary by-product of a largo and widely
spread staple industry -Sugar-not subject TO the
ordinary irrogularity Of supply.
'MEGAssE,'' the fbrous residue Of the Sugar
Cane (after it has been crushed to extract tho
juice), properly prepared, affords q strong nof-
vous fibre, or 9 FibrouS Stock,' which beaches
we'll, and possesses all the characteristics Of a
f~rst-olass P~aper-making material,
"MErAssE' however, as it comes from the
crushing rolls, and even when dried after crushing,
is so exceedingly bulky, that (being produced
almost exclusively in tropical c%ountTiesl the cost
Of carriage added TO its great liability to damage
from fermentation, precludes the possibility OF its
being imported to England in its crude state;
moreover, tho true fbrous portion of "MEGAssE'
does not amount to more than 40 per cent, tho
remainder being constituted of CELLULosE, com
bined with glutinous and other compounds, which
VI iIS 10 uIG uBClJSo ~ L bitA AN~N''C @~
which consequently must be separated from the
r~esiduary or ultimate fibre.
1t follows, therefore, that " MEGAssE" must be
converted into II FfdronS StocE at, or near. the
Sugar factory whore it is produced, then dried,
and put up in hydraulic-pressod bales for economi-
cal transport.
The present value of "MEGAssE'' Gn it's crude
condition as produced) is relatively to that of
fuel, as, unless it is returned to the soil as manure
(which is the practice in some countrles} 1T is en-
-lo.o1: =, +lo C,,~nr E,o+OrioC Gov rniSinr stanI1 for
motive power, and for eyaporating the Cane juice.
AS the value of " MEGAssE" thus considered is
very low, factories established in connection with
existing sugar mills for the manufacture of
'tPaper-St0ck," whore sufficient quantities OF so
bulky o material could be concentrated, and
VIII ere other favourable conditions exist (f which
an abundant supply of water is an essentially,
would yield o large profit TO the planter on sugar
manufacturer, as the "Pdper-StocE," he would
produce would meet with a ready sale at prices at
least equivalent to "ESPART0,' reduced to the
HAVING made "PQper- Stock" and "Paptr" of
GOOD quality from "MEGAssE,'' and determined the
profitable result Of such a manufacture beyond dis,
pute, ] look forward at no very distant date to see the
PapertradG Of this country receiving, at least, a p0r-
ton of its rat0 material from some Of our own Colo
MES and Dependencies lin most OF which Sugar is
produced), instead Of, as now, being entirely Deepen.
dent on foreign Countries for supply,
1t is estimated that the consumption Of Sugar in
U0IdI ulADuhlS uliIhNhJ ~ 'HFN4" Va CNC1'NN
tons, or about 81 ID. per head OF the population; and
a. il NAV be assumed that for each ton of sugar !
Ton of" MEGAssE " at least is produced, 1t will be
seen that a large reserve OF FtbfoaS Material Is
available, awaiting the enterprise Of either the Sugar
or the Paper.manufacturer or a combination of both.
It is now my object to show to the ItOo parties
mainly interested, the Producer and the CONSUMER,
how closely their interests are coincident, and how
both would be benefited by the creation and develop
ment of a new Industry.
TNbo Duopurrp to G1nor.DnoOnt9pfUPa &c II
point of fact suffering from a similar competition to
that experienced by the Paper-manufacture in 1861
handicapped by the drawback allowed on the export
ofFRExcH, AND BELGIAN, BEET-Roor SUGAR, with
which he is unable to compete, in the same manner
as tho Paper.maker suffered from the Introduction
of FRENCH, AND BELGIAN, PAPER-fTee, while the
RAW MATENAL-RAGs paid a heavy export duty.
The CONSUMER, the Paper-manufacturer, is suffer-
ing from lack of suitable material, which the
Producer is able to supply, and by so supplying and
utilizing a by.product, hitherto Of little value to him,
places himselfin a position to meet his competitors
on equal, If not belt er terms in the market.
It 10 true, that this Ito him) new system of
utilizing what may now be termed a waste, or
by.product, would involve the outlay of additional
capital, by the Sugar-planter or manufacturer,
which he may deem foreign to his present bust
ness, but manufacturers nowadays make their
profits mainly by utilizing by-products.
A familiar instance of this may be cited in the
Chemical trade the muriatie acid produced in
the manufacture of soda, formerly run to waste,
being now employed for making bleaching
powder; and, still more recently, the by-products
annaline, anthracene, ammonia, &c., which for
~.~Ir o~oa+od a ou;sanca wherever Gas Works