----------------------------Original message----------------------------
          Our Archivist here at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
          Library has just been given some rare Army Air Force Cloth
          Survival Charts. We'd like to know what kind of cloth these
          were printed on.  It looks/feels like silk but expect that
          since 1944 they would be deteriorated; these are in
          excellent condition. They are folded several times to fit
          into a small letter-size envelope.
 
          Anyone familiar with these?  They show surface currents for
          an area in the Pacific.  They were actually developed right
          here at SIO during the latter part of WWII using what is now
          known to be poor data.  They are each in two parts; one is
          the actual map in full color and the other is a smaller
          explanation sheet "use of cloth survival charts in the
          navigation of rubber rafts." The map is 1:1,000,000 and the
          item I looked at is C-800 Bintan Island currents.  These
          were published by the Air Intelligence Group, Division of
          Naval Intelligence, Office of Chief of Naval Operations,
          Navy Dept., Wash. D.C., prepared by H.O. JUL 1944.
 
          Oh, and one advance note to Mary Larsgaard: No, we won't let
          you sew these into a coat.
 
          Thanks to anyone with knowledge of what kind of fabric these
          are printed on.
 
          - PML