avoided.

_Appendix._--To the Report is added 'Abstracts of Papers' in
'Mittheilungen aus den Koniglichen Technischen Versuchsanstalten,
Berlin,' for the years 1885-1896 inclusive--which is, in fact, a summary
of the investigations of the Institution in connection with paper and
paper-standards.

* * * * *

(p. 273) ~Special Industrial Developments.~--From the point of view of the
chemist there has been a very large development of the cellulose
industries during the last five years. This is not so much marked by the
gradual and progressive growth of the well-established industries, as by
the success of the newer ones, with the attendant forecast of enormous
developments of the industries in artificial products, the manufacture
of which rests upon a purely chemical basis. We can, of course, only
treat them from this limited standpoint, and so far as they involve and
elucidate chemical principles.

~I. Chemical Treatments of Raw Materials.~

(a) ~Flax-spinning.~--The treatment of the roving on the spinning-frame
by the addition of reagents to the macerating liquid--otherwise and
usually hot water--continues to be justified by results. The technical
basis of the process and the reactions determined in the spinning-trough
by the alkaline salts used--chiefly sulphite and phosphate of soda--is
set forth in the original work, p. 280. Since that time a sufficient
period has elapsed to judge the effects, both technical and industrial,
by the results of a commercial undertaking based on the exclusive use of
the process. Such a concern is the Irish Flax Spinning Company of
Belfast. At this mill the experience is uniform and fully established
that by means of the process the drawing, i.e. spinning, quality of
inferior flaxes is very considerably appreciated, enabling the spinner
to use such flaxes for yarns of fineness which are unattainable by the
ordinary method of spinning through hot water. Notwithstanding the
success of this undertaking the development of the method is still
inconsiderable. It is none the less a further and forcible demonstration
of the existence of margins of increased technical effect which it is
the work of the scientific technologist to exploit.

(b) ~Wood-pulp and Methods of Manufacture.~--There is a steady growth in
the consumption of wood-pulps (cellulose) relatively to other materials.
In regard to the paper-trade of the world, this continues to be one of
the mos