172 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January 1, 1914. 



RUBBER SKATES SIX FEET LONG. 



German army authorities have been experimenting with a 

 device by which to walk on water, or rather to skate on water, 

 because the motion resembles that of skating ratlier tlian walk- 



A G^;RM.^N .SuLiuer EyLipPEU with Klisbek W.vter Skates. 



ing. The device, in fact, is called a water skate. It is about 6 

 feet long, made of rubber, and when inflated looks not unlike a 

 mammoth cigar. It is fastened on the foot like a snow shoe. It 

 has been sufficiently perfected so that the walker has no dif- 

 ficulty in preserving his equilibrium. In fpct soldiers while using 

 these water skates have carried heavy loads on their backs and 

 found no difficulty in firing with almost as much accuracy as 

 when standing on land. They arc useful, too, in leading horses 

 across streams. A few of them can be fastened together and 

 converted into a raft, and a number of them put side by side 

 across a stream serve as a foundation for a pontoon bridge. 

 These German water skates promise to be very useful. 



A GLANCE AT EXPORT STATISTICS OF RUBBER 

 GOODS. 



ALL statistical returns derive their value from two sources : 

 completeness of detail and the facility of genera! survey. 

 Year by year, the annual records show progress under detailed 

 heads, but a glance at the figures of a series of years may prove 

 instructive as to export trade in rubber goods. 



From about 3 million dollars in the fiscal year ending June 

 30, 1901, the figure rose to about 11 million for 1911-12 (the 

 latest year for which details are available), while the estimate 

 for the fiscal year 1912-13 shows about 14 million dollars. 



TABLE A— SHOWING AMERICAN EXPORTS OF RUBBER 

 MANUFACTURES FOR 1900-1913. 



Value of rubber 



Fiscal year. goods exported. 



1900-01 $3,017,268 



1901-02 3.462,402 



1902-03 4.176.3S1 



1903-04 6.214.910 



1904-O.S 4.789.817 



1905-06 5.692,385 



1906-07 6,214,910 



1907-08 6.705.105 



1908-09 6.615,074 



1909-10 9.060.895 



1910-11 10.947,248 



1911-12 11.167.289 



1912-13. ." 14.324,894 



By table A it will be seen that the twelve fiscal years 1901 to 

 1912 are divisible into three periods : — 1901 tn 1903. averaging 

 31/ milhon; 1904 to 1909, averaging 6 million; and 1910 to 1912, 



averaging 10^2 million. Thus the last three years showed on 

 an average 3 times the yearly amount of the first three. 



While these total figures are instructive, a dissection into tlic 

 principal articles illustrates detailed progress. In applying this 

 test to the period since 1909, table B shows progress all along the 

 line. 



TABLE B— SHOWING E.\PORTS OF AMERICAN RUBBER MANU- 

 F.\CTURES, CLASSIFIED, FOR 1908-1912. 

 Belting and Boots and Other 



packing. shoes. Tires. goods. Total. 



1908-09... $1,498,445 $1,292,673 $3,823,956 $6,615,074 



1909-10... 1,960,825 1.984.739 5.115,331 9,060,895 



1910-11... 2,163,416 2,219,430 2,677,577 3,886,825 10,947,248 

 1911-12... 2,315,484 1,502,890 3,204,642 4,144,273 11,167,289 



Owing to the statistics of tire exports having been published 

 for the first time in 1911, no comparative figures are available 

 for the earlier years as to tires, which are included for those 

 periods with "Other goods." The separate returns for the fiscal 

 years 1911 and 1912 are shown for tires. 



Comparing the percentages of increase shown for the fiscal 

 year 1911-12 as against 1908-09, the gain was: — belting and pack- 

 ing about 60 per cent. ; boots and shoes about 16 per cent. ; all 

 other goods about 90 per cent. ; while the total average was 

 about 70 per cent. These figures illustrate a satisfactory expan- 

 sion of American rubber goods export trade in its principal 

 items. It is to be regretted that the Washington reports do not 

 furnish a closer analysis of the articles comprised under "all 

 other goods," but this category includes a large number of items. 

 DISTRIBUTION OF ARTICLES AMONG COUNTRIES. 



As will be seen on reference to the detailed statistics of the 

 fiscal year 1912 published in The I.\dia Rubber World March, 

 1913, page 317, the total of $11,167,289 was distributed among 82 

 different countries, situated in the six grand divisions. This 

 table is there shown in full detail for the respective countries 

 and principal articles, but a summary will be found in annexed 

 table C. 



TABLE C— SHOWING GENERAL DISTRIBUTION OF EXPORTS 

 OF AMERICAN RUBBER MANUFACTURES IN 1911-12. 

 Belting and Boots and Other 



packing. shoes. Tires. goods. Total. 



Europe 325,073 955,636 1,744,056 2,131,370 5,156,135 



North Amer.. 1.145.482 93.602 1,081,843 1,348.442 3,669,369 

 South Amer.. 187,643 81,540 96,438 235,013 600,634 



Asia 106,966 77.717 40,837 100,087 325,607 



Oceania 253,936 273.452 226,881 296,993 1,051,262 



Africa 296,384 20,943 14,587 32,368 364,282 



2,315,484 1,.502,890 3.204,642 4,144,273 11,167,289 

 Thus the preponderance of Europe and North America in 

 furnishing a market for about 80 per cent, of the United States 

 export trade is demonstrated. In fact out of the total of 11 

 million, no less than 10 million belong to the above-named divi- 

 sions and Oceania, including 46 countries. 



But these 10 million dollars' worth of exports practically went 

 to 18 countries, each taking more than $100,000 worth. 



Thus for the 64 other countries there only remained a total 

 of a million dollars. 



FOEEIGN TRADE OPPORTUNITIES. 



A report from an American consul states that a merchant 

 located in Europe desires to establish a connection with an 

 American firm manufacturing rubber thread used for weaving 

 into elastic tape, bands, etc. If the right connections can be 

 formed, f. o. b. New York payments will be made. Negotiations 

 are desired with a view to permanent business. Correspondence 

 may be in English. Report No. 12,120. 



.'Kn American consular office in the Levant reports that a local 

 business firm desires information and catalogs, with price lists, 

 of all kinds of stump pullers used in uprooting small and large 

 trees, for the purpose of turning forests into land for cultivation. 

 Report No. 12,147. 



