caused the following report to be circulated, in The Shanghai Chamber of Commerce have English and Chinese, Shanghai, 13th April, 1874, In June 1872, this Chamber caused to be Frinted for circulation among Chinese Silk merchants, a Report from the Council of the Association of Silk Merchants at Lyons, this, it was pointed out how greatly the future of China Silk was endangered by careless and bad reeling and false packing; and Chinese Merchants. wore earnestly warned that, unless some reforms were made in these respects, their Silk must be driven out of consumption or be greatly reduced in value.
Unfortunate}: y; advice which was then given in the interests of both Chinese and foreigners, has been totally neglected, and the reeling and packing of tie, crop has' been even worse in 1872 and 1873 than in 1871. The result has been what was then predicted, that China Silk has fallen in value very: heavily, and toa far greater extent than that of other countries, The increasing production of Silk has caused a fall of 10 @ 15 per cent on well-reded descriptions, such as those of Europe and ina Silk, instead of declining in the same proportion, has fallen in value 25 a 40 per cent, because it has been too dan gerous and unsaleable an article for speculators to touch, and its unattractive quality has made it the drug of the Silk trade, This great depreciation has of tailed most severe losses on both Chinese and Foreign Silk Merchants, and the Eh again earnestly urges the former to on the Chinese reelers and pack absolute necessity of more careful and honest preparation, and to insist most emphatically on their observance of the following points That they reel more slowly and carefully, 80 as to produce Silk of a much finer and more even size That they abstain from reeling double Cocoons along with single ones, which is the principal cause of foulness and bad winding That they discontinue the practice of pack-coarse, uneven and foul Skeins la the of good mosses and books; as also of reding Chincum and other Taysaams as Tsatlee That in preparing Re-reded and Thrown Silks, they do not load them with Sugar, Oil, &e,, to increase their weight.
From England, France and Italy, there come continual complaints that China Silk cannot be used on account of its coarse size and foulness, and manufacturers are driven to for Tram, instead of the China Silks" which were formerly employed for that purpose.
From America, there are even louder complaints of the miserable quality of Re-reeled Silks, of their bad winch weight when boiled o Tf these careless and fraudulent practi be continued, China Silk must fall still lower in price, or still further lose its place in consumption; if, on the other hand, the Chinese will return to their former careful and honest system of reeling, it is certain that their Silk I very soon recover its character, and that a good and healthy trade will result, to the benefit alike of Chinese and Foreigners.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.