480 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[June 1, 1914. 



the year, and a high, tho not an excessive high, temperature. 

 The development of rubber trees is rapid, while the latex is 

 abundant and rich in rubber. 



Para rubber also grows well in Ceylon, but its progress is 

 not so rapid, and the area available for cultivation is not as 

 extensive as in the Malay peninsula. Java, Sumatra and Borneo 

 have plantations which are rapidly extending, but at a somewhat 

 slower rate, at least in Java. Plantations on these islands being 

 relatively new, comparatively little rubber from those sources 

 has come into the market. In the south of Indo-China the 

 French have some plantations of Para rubber, but the opinion 

 is expressed that it is as yet too early to estimate the prospective 

 importance of the supply from this quarter. 



In the concluding chapters of his article Mr. Ridley deals with 

 practical questions of cultivation and preparation from the light 

 of his personal experience. 



CEYLON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 



ONE of the principal matters recorded in the report of the 

 Ceylon Chamber of Commerce for the second half of the 

 year 1913 is the approval by government of the island being rep- 

 resented at the- approaching London Rubber Exhibition. This 

 approval was accompanied by an offer to contribute a sum equal 

 to that collected from other sources, up to $8,333. The ade- 

 quate representation of the colony is being actively promoted 

 by a joint committee of the Chamber of Commerce and the 

 Ceylon Planters' Association, with a view to impressing upon 

 consumers the merits of plantation rubber. 



.\ccording to the statistics of the Chamber of Commerce the 

 total rubber export for 1913 was distributed as follows: United 

 Kingdom, 15.841,126 pounds; America, 6.417,236 pounds; Bel- 

 gium. 4,214.736 pounds; Australia, 462,473 pounds; Germany, 

 417,946 pounds; Japan, 312.868 pounds; all other countries, 366,- 

 960 pounds ; total, 28,033,345 pounds. Ceylon produce repre- 

 sented 25,433,551 pounds, the balance having been imported from 

 the Straits and India for reshipment. i\s compared with 1912 

 this result shows an increased export of Ceylon produce 

 amounting to 10,452,476 pounds for 1913. 



That Ceylon intends to encourage the transit trade in rubber 

 is shown by an official statement to the effect that the export 

 duty of 75 cents per 100 pounds would be levied only upon 

 Ceylon grown rubber, and not upon that imported. This e.xport 

 duty was to go into effect on January 1, 1914. 



The amount of rubber offered at the local auctions has 

 steadily increased during the last three years, the quantities 

 having been — 



1911, 2,432,859 pounds; average per pound, Rs. 2.86 (95 cents) 



1912, 6,260,026 " " " 2.75 (92 " ) 



1913, 12,013,824 " " " 1.92 (64 " ) 

 .'\t the opening of 1913 first quality crepe sold at Rs. 3.20 



($1.07) per pound, selling in September at Rs. 1.42J^ (47 cents), 

 and recovering ty the end of the year to Rs. 1.S2J4 (51 cents). 

 Diamond smoked sheets have commanded a premium equaling 

 2 to 5 cents over the price of first qualitj' crepe. 



At the general meeting of .\ugust last William Moir. the 

 chairman, commented on the Ceylon rubber exports doubling 

 themselves each year, the majority of rubber estates being able 

 to compete successfully in cost of production with any other 

 rubber producing country in the world. In these conditions he 

 considered lies the soundness and .strengtli of Ceylon's position 

 as to the article. 



He referred also to possible improvements in the method 

 of distributing rubber at Colombo, and to the measures in force 

 for the prevention of rubber thefts, by the co-operation of local 

 dealers with the authorities. 



In the appendi.x a quantity of correspondence is quoted on 

 varioi-s subjects as to which t'lc chamber has been actively in- 

 terested. 



NEW USES FOE PLANTATION RUBBER. 



Among the newest rubber lloorings in London is that laid at 

 the offices of the Rubber Growers' Association, 38 Eastcheap, 

 which is identical with that being put down at Guy's Hospital, 

 the Children's Hospital (both in London), and the Edinl)urgh 

 Royal Infirmary. In addition to being noiseless, rubber Hooring 

 has undoubted hygienic advantages and great durability. 



The Rubber Growers' Association intends to present a rubber 

 flooring to one or more London churches, and also hot water 

 bottles to certain hospitals. Organized trials are likewise under 

 consideration of rubber-faced wood blocks for street paving 

 and rubber covering for concrete or cement lawn tennis courts 

 for indoor play. It is thought that in this way large quantities 

 of rubber might ultimately be used. 



.\ London correspondent of the "Ceylon Observer" calls atten- 

 tion to the satisfaction given by the rubber flooring at Lloyds' 

 Underwriting Rooms and other offices in the English metropolis, 

 adding: "I think something might now be done in the way of 

 making rubber floor-cloth, similar to linoleum or the old-fash- 

 ioned wax cloth of our jouth, which could be laid down and 

 lifted up easily, without damaging it. This would be a great and 

 quiet boon in vestibules or long corridors, and would last much 

 longer than linoleum — always supposing that it was made of 

 good rubber and not of second-hand or adulterated stuff." 



The floor of the underwriting rooms at Lloyds' in London is 

 now being covered with a composition of rubber guaranteed to 

 last 20 years. It has the appearance of large paving-stones, but 

 tlie incessant tramping of feet over it produces scarcely a sound. 



MR. ARTHUR I^MPAED'S VIEWS ON RUBBER. 



Presiding at the recent annual meeting of the London Asiatic 

 Rubber and Produce Co., Mr. .Arthur Lampard reported a crop 

 for 1913 of 1,006,736 pounds, against 706,945 pounds for 1912. 

 The inclusive cost for the earlier year had been Is. 10.27d. (45.11 

 cents), which had been reduced in 1913 to Is. 7.57d. (39.55 cents). 

 The gross price obtained for rubber in 1913 was 2s. 10.23d. (69.41 

 cents) per pound against 4s. 3.17 d. (103.83 cents) in the previous 

 year. 



With the view of reducing cost, they had lowered wages and 

 thus lost a certain proportion of the force, but only in the Chinese 

 section. The Indian contingent had been increased and they 

 were looking forward to the practically exclusive employment of 

 Indian labor. 



He considered the statistical position of rubber was satisfac- 

 tory, deliveries keeping pace with production. The shipment of a 

 large quantity to America showed that manufacturers in that 

 market were appreciating the advantages of plantation rubber. 

 He added that the leading rubber goods manufacturers of the 

 world now relied on plantation rubber more than on any other 

 raw material. 



In conclusion Mr. Lampard said he thought the fall in rubber 

 had prevented the flotation of wild-cat rubber plantation compa- 

 nies. Moreover it had facilitated the introduction of economies, 

 would increase the consumption of rubber and would kill the wild 

 rubber industry. Statistics showed that' the London receipts of 

 wild rubber for the first quarter of the present year were only 

 one-half of those a year ago. The policy of selling rubber for 

 forward delivery he maintained to be sound, and calculated to 

 develop the use of the plantation product. 



TREATING LATEX IN LONDON. 



Tlie "Financial Times" of London states that a concern, known 

 as the Robinson Securities Syndicate. Ltd., proposes to bring 

 latex direct from the forest trees to the London manufactory, to 

 be scientifically treated, so as to secure an evenness of grade. 

 It is said that the transport of the late.x to London in its natural 

 state is a revelation, while the rubber already produced from 

 such latex is reported to be of excellent quality. 



