192 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



I March 



1905- 



its attempted cultivation on a large scale. The tree is one of 

 very rapid growth, and from all accounts it promises to do ex- 

 ceedingly well. It will be remembered that this rubber was 

 exploited largely during Sir Alfred Molony's tenure of office in 

 Lagos, but in succeeding years the exportation of the rubber 

 very largely declined on account of the destruction of the 

 trees. The embargo which was put on the collection for a pe- 

 riod naturally led to stagnation in the exports, but 1904, when 

 rubber collecting was again allowed, showed a satisfactory ex- 

 port. 



It was with much regret that I heard of the death of Dr. 

 Weber, in America. It must be more than twelve years since 1 

 first came into contact with him, on his joining 

 OR. c o. WEBER ^j^g f^^^^ y( Frankenburg in Salford, Manchester. 

 Few who have had dealings with him can have tailed to admire 

 the enthusiasm and energy which characterized his original 

 work on India-rubber, more especially in connection with 

 analyses. Perhaps the German minuteness of detail proved 

 somewhat wearing to readers of the technical press, in which 

 his results almost exclusively appeared, and the field being 

 largely an untrodden one, comparatively little discussion en- 

 sued at the time as to the reliability of his methods or the 

 soundness of his theories. Henriques and Weber, however, 

 have done great service in clearing away obstacles which 

 hitherto impeded the progress ot the rubber analyst, and it is 

 notewoithy how at the present time quite a number of chem- 

 ists, in Germany especially, have entered the lists as investi- 

 gators in the field of rubber cultivation and technology. While 

 my personal relations with the deceased were not of a close 

 nature, I would emphasize the fact that he was always scrupu- 

 lously particular in mentioning by name any authors whose 

 figures he had occasion to use. 



Up to quite recently Sicily has had practically a monopoly 



in the sulphur trade, America being her largest customer. It 



is an interesting fact, and one not without im- 



PRODUCTION portance to the rubber trade, that the United 



OF SULPHUR Sta(g5 have now commenced to produce sulohur, 



IN AMERICA. , ■ X-, , ', 



from the Louisiana deposits. These have long 

 been known, but on account of their depth and the unstable 

 nature of the ground it has not been found possible to mine. 

 By what is known as the Frasch method, in which the sulphur 

 is melted by superheated water, and pumped to the surface, 

 the difficulty has been overcome. The arrival of a cargo of 

 this sulphur at Marseilles has aroused concern in Italy, and 

 formed the subject of interrogations in Parliament. It certainly 

 seems as if the big dividends earned by the Anglo-Sicilian 

 Sulphur Co. will be seriously affected in the future. 



From the general standpoint the lamentable situation in 



Russia does not call for notice in these columns, but from the 



particular point of view of the industries affected 



DISTURBANCES ^ ^q^^ or two wiU not be out of place. Refer- 



IN RUSSIA. ■ , J -, . „ r. • A 



ences in the daily press to the Russian-Ameri- 

 can Co." as among the factories afTected by the strike are con- 

 cerned with the big rubber company which I understand is the 

 largest rubber concern in the world. A friend of mine who is 

 closely interested in Russian business, informs me that there is 

 no other Russian-American company in St. Petersburg; there- 

 fore there is no need to describe the firm in greater detail. My 

 informant went on to say that he thought the rubber company 

 would not be very eager to take back the men who struck work, 

 as they thought their action ungrateful and unjustified in view 

 of the fact that they were the best paid work people in St. Pe- 

 tersburg. With regard to the Russian-French Rubber Co., of 

 Prowodnik, a few miles out of Riga, I am informed from inside 

 that the men suddenly struck work on January 25, the action 



being brought about by one or two agitators marching through 

 the departments and calling upon the hands to cease work ; the 

 main reason alleged was, I understand, the desire for an 8 hour 

 day. In common, of course, with the other industries, the rub- 

 ber trade in Russia has thus experienced vicissitudes of great 

 moment to the management; this demand for an 8 hour day 

 seems to me to be of too radical a nature, having regard to 

 what obtains in the world's industrial centers generally, nor 

 can the inclusion of such a demand as part and parcel of a 

 requisition for a constitution be considered as at all a politic 

 proceeding. Of British rubber firms F. Reddaway & Co., Lim- 

 ited, of Manchester, who have large belting mills in Moscow, 

 will be likely to feel the present disturbances in the greatest 

 degree. 



The new price lists issued by the Dermatine Co., Limited, 

 of Camberwell, London, call for a word or two of notice, more 

 especially on account of the excellence and util- 

 ity of the illustrations. In the valve list some 

 special matter has been written by an engineering expert, de- 

 tailing the best forms of guards and grids for condenser plants. 

 My knowledge of engineering does not enable to say anything 

 by way of criticism, but I feel that a price list which goes into 

 such important detail on momentous and abstruse topics can- 

 not fail to attract at the hands of engineers that meed of atten- 

 tion at which it aims. The rubber manufacturer may possibly 

 be inclined to break a lance with the versatile compiler ol the 

 list with regard to some of his references, but no doubt there 

 is much truth in what is said as to the decline in favor of rub- 

 ber valves being attributable largely to the use of inferior rub- 

 ber or to the supply of qualities unsuited for the particular 

 purposes for which they were required. In a case of this sort 

 expert knowledge must prove invaluable and there can be little 

 doubt that where in this respect the Dermatine Co. have led 

 the way others will show a disposition to follow. 



DERMATINE. 



SOME WANTS OF THE RUBBER TRADE. 



[300] /\ SUBSCRIBER to The India Rubber Woblli in 

 ■^~^ Italy writes: "We would be much obliged if 

 you could please indicate to us some firms or mine owners or 

 manufacturers of Asbestine of your country." 



[310] A jobbing house in Memphis, Tennessee, writes re- 

 questing to know who manufactures "a little rubber novelty on 

 the market known as a ' Squeezit,' which article fits in the 

 end of a sack of smoking tobacco and keeps the tobacco from 

 wasting." The same inquiry comes from a subscriber in Cleve- 

 land, Ohio. 



[311] A correspondent in Brooklyn, New York, writes: " I 

 saw in your January issue an article on Gulta-Gentsch, You 

 will kindly inform me where I can obtain samples of this pro- 

 duct." 



[312] A correspondent at Hempstead, New York, writes: 

 " Can you give me the name of the English firm making Versu- 

 vian white and Vulcanine ? ' 



[313] A correspondent in Brussels, Belgium, writes to ask 

 where he can obtain the product I'extrait russe Jacl-ten for use 

 in the deodorization of Caoutchouc. One New York house 

 reports in regard to the above: "No doubt Jucten extract, or 

 oil of Rusci is meant." Another house reports: " The article 

 wished is known as oil of birch tar, crude, which we believe is 

 sometimes known as oil Rusci and is a Russian product." 



ANSWERS. 



[308] The N Tire Co. (No. 415 Dearborn street, Chicago) 

 write: "In reply the inquiry for rubber dice boxes, we are 

 pleased to state that we make these articles." 



