October 1. 1913.; 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



39 



IMPORTS OF CRUDE RUBBER INTO GERMANY. 



Germany's imports of crude rubber amounted during the first 

 half of 1913, in round figures, to 9,464 tons, about the same as 

 for the corresponding period of the preceding year. The value 

 was 83,700,000 marks ($19,920,600). As to the source of supply 

 a slight tendency in favor of Brazil is to be recorded. The 

 latter country still ranks first with some 2,678 tons ; but as com- 

 Iiared with other supplying countries it has not by any means 

 the advantage it formerly enjoyed. Compared with the first 

 half-year of 1912, imports into Germany from Brazil fell off 

 to the extent of 892 tons. Imports from Mexico, previously 

 second in importance, show a considerable decline, 330 tons 

 against 9,642 tons for the same period last year. On the other 

 hand, imports from the British East Indies have greatly in- 

 creased, occupying second place with 1,919 tons, compared WMth 

 598 tons for the same period last year. The German colonics 

 furnished 1,205 tons, about the same quantity as during the 

 first half of last year. The figures indicate a heavy decline 

 in the use of Mexican guayule, which sprang into favor during 

 the period of high rubber prices and a material increase in the 

 demand for East Indian plantation rubber. 



GERMAN RUBBER TRADE STATISTICS. 



From a recently published report of the Imperial Statistical 

 Bureau of Germany some interesting information is obtainable 

 in regard to the rubber manufacturing industry in that country. 

 The report deals with the status of industrial corporations, and 

 this year, for the first time, the rubber industry has an inde- 

 pendent classification, having previously been included with 

 the leather manufacturing interests. 



The report shows the existence, on June 30, 1912, of 33 com- 

 panies engaged in rubber manufacturing, with a share capital 

 of 83.7 million marks ($19,920,600). Of these, 24, with a capital 

 of 63.1 million marks ($15,017,800), proved remunerative, their 

 profits for the year July 1. 1911. to June 30, 1912, amounting to 

 14 million marks ($3,332,0(X)). If we consider the average in- 

 terest earnings of the capital employed in the rubber industry, 

 we find that it amounts to 8.39 per cent, for the period in 

 question. The nine concerns that operated at a loss employed 

 capital amounting to 19 million marks ($4,522,000), and booked 

 a deficit of 5.4 million marks ($1,285,200) ; so that while the 

 business proved to some concerns quite remunerative there was 

 nothing extraordinary in the profits recorded by the industry as 

 a whole, more especially as the capital would have to be turned 

 over several times to make the profit average recorded, which 

 would mean a considerable reduction in the net gains. 



A PRIZE FOR THE BEST PLAN FOR A RUBBER FACTORY. 



The publishers of "Gummi Zeitung," the rublier paper of Berlin, 

 offer a prize of a "silver vase valued at i25" for the best design 

 for a factory for the manufacture of rubber goods. The com- 

 petition is open to anyone in any country, and the title remains 

 the property of the competitor, altho the right of reproduction 

 is reserved by the publishers of the "Gummi Zeitung." The 

 plans must be sent in before the fourteenth of next May, to the 

 .•\wards Committee, in care of A. Staines Manders, 75. Chancery 

 Lane, London, \V. C, and the award will be made during the 

 London rubber exposition in June of that year. Anybody who is 

 desirous of entering this interesting contest can write to Mr. 

 Manders for specifications and for an entrance blank. 



NO MORE STEEL TIRED TRUCKS IN PARIS. 



Beginning with the fifteenth of the present month, commercial 

 vehicles with steel tired wheels will be barred from the streets of 

 Paris. .'\11 commercial vehicles must have rubber tires. The 

 same law has been passed in Germany, covering the larger cities. 

 It has been found necessary to take this action because the 

 steel tires not only cause a disagreeable vibration when going 

 through the streets, but — which is even more serious — have been 

 found to cut up the pavements very badly. 



THE ORIGINATOR OF "TUCK'S PACKINGS.' 



17 VERY one in the mechanical rubber goods trade is familiar 

 ■'— ' with the goods known as Tuck's packings. They are stajile 

 goods made by scores of factories but few probably know their 

 beginnings. This packing takes its name from an American 

 named Tuck, who, like all inventors, was very much of a 

 character. Of his many inventions, the packing that bears his 

 name is the only permanent reminder of him. There is, how- 

 ever, on London docks a tradition of a huge metal diving bell 

 which he built that had a new type of inlet valve, a special 

 pet of the inventor. To demonstrate its efticiency, he and some 

 of his friends got into the bell and went to the bottom of the 

 Thames one day and while Mr. Tuck was explaining the ex- 

 cellent qualities of the valve it stopped work and all of them 

 nearly lost their lives. His packing, however, was as success- 

 ful as the diving bell was unsuccessful, and in 1850 he started 

 a little factory at Lambeth on the Thames. This business 

 prospered and he was connected with it until his death. 



In 1864 George William Taylor entered the firm. He came 

 from an old EngHsh family, who placed him in a large importing 

 house to learn the business. The line was not to his liking and 

 he ran away and started in to learn the rubber business. Soon 

 he became a stockholder in the Tuck concern and as it prospered 

 induced his brother Edward to come with him. 



In 1882 they built an entirely new factory near the site of 

 Tuck's original buildings. Both of the brothers had a strong 

 mechanical bent and were able to make almost any kind of 

 machine that they needed. For example, when the first dynamos 

 appeared and were very costly and unreliable, they built one of 

 their own which is still running and doing excellent work. Then 

 those two men, with only the assistance of a trusty laborer and 

 some difTcrential pulleys, set up and started in operation the 

 heavy special machinery at their Cardiff factory, thus keeping 

 its existence secret. 



\ot only was this company a pioneer in packings, but its 

 managers have constantly increased their output and are very 

 proud of the fact that the quality of their goods has never been 

 changed. They have branches for the marketing of their goods 

 all over England and Ireland, and agencies all over the world. 



EUROPEAN RUBBER SYNDICATES? 



A CCORDIXG to Eurojican advices, steps are being taken in 

 ■'^ various countries to promote the sale of plantation rubber. 

 In Paris, a committee of twenty is said to have been formed to 

 protect the interests of producers, on the basis of a limit of 

 price of 3s or 3s 2d per pound, with standard prices for the 

 three chief grades of plantation rubber. It is said to be proposed, 

 moreover, to invite the co-op'sration of the producing companies, 

 with the view of raising a capital of $100,000 to establish a 

 central institute for studying the more extensive use of planta- 

 tion rubber. 



The idea would seem to have been taken up by other countries. 

 One report from Antwerp says that the Belgian government is 

 trying to form an international rubber syndicate. It is further 

 stated that the Dutch government would form part of the organi- 

 zation, which would have a capital equalling $12,O(X3,00O to 

 $20,000,000. 



The Belgian government is reiiorted to have been in communi- 

 cation with the Brazilian administration as to the formation of 

 this International Syndicate. 



In reproducing this report imder all reserve, the "Gummi- 

 Zeitung" remarks : 



"This means the monopoly of the entire rubber production 

 and by reducing output to re-establish the previous high prices. 

 We are very skeptical on the subject. The work of uniting 

 the various plantations and bringing them to act together is a 

 task the projectors imagine to be easier than it is." 



