THE STORY OF ARTIFICIAL SILK 
tion. He received a Council medal and a 
special letter of praise from the jurors. 
Queen Victoria had declined all offers of 
gifts from the exhibitors, but she made two 
exceptions. One of the exceptions greatly 
pleased John Mercer. She accepted two 
nandkerchiets of mercerized cotton from 
im. 
A French company immediately offered 
Mercer £40,000 for his patents, but Mercer 
refused the offer. The patents remained in 
England. He had much difficulty in per- 
suading manufacturers to use his process, 
because of the high cost of chemicals. But 
eventually he succeeded, and his process has 
brought in tens of millions of pounds to 
Lancashire. 
Mercer was an eminent scientist. He gave 
lectures on light and heat and chemistry. He 
was a great pioneer. He did not make 
his discovery by chance, as many people 
believe. 
He helped to start Technical Schools in 
England. He conceived of the ‘energy 
theory ”’ of the universe before Kelvin, and 
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