384 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[April 1, 1914. 



are being discovered and that the plantation industry is on a 

 sounder foundation than it has ever been, while the outlook is 

 very promising. Carefully prepared statistics put the world's 

 production for 1914 at 120,000 tons, and granting the usual in- 

 crease in consumption, the requirements should exceed that 

 amount. He further referred to the competitions to be held at 

 the approaching e.xhibition as to new uses for rubber. 



COST. 



The fall in value, Mr. Trotter says, was a blessing in disguise, 

 by forcing such retrenchment as could only have been brought 

 about in so short a time during a period of severe depression. 

 These gains will far outweigh any temporary inconvenience from 

 the low prices. Some Eastern managers have brought down 

 local costs to 9d. (18.25c.) per pound, equal to Is. (24.33c.) per 

 pound "all in" (or delivered in London). 



INSCRIPTION S.XLES AND AUCTIONS. 



Mr. Trotter emphasized the opinion that the system of "Inscrip- 

 tion" sales as practiced in various Continental centers would be 

 unworkable in London, while he added that some modification 

 of the system of holding auctions fortnightly was necessary, 

 in view of the mcreasing quantities continuously arriving. 

 LAND AND ENPORT T.-\X ON RUBBER. 



The association had been in communication with the govern- 

 ment of the Federated Malay States with a view to the reduction 

 of the quit rent for rubber lands and the abolition or diminution 

 of the lYz per cent, ad vahrem duty on exported rubber. Both 

 these requests had been declined, but various other services 

 had at times been rendered to the industry by the government 

 named. 



FREIGHTS AND LONDON WAREHOUSE CHARGES. 



The chairman gave a full explanation of the circumstances 

 under w-hich rubber pays a freight of 66s. (about $16) per 50 

 cubic feet, while tea, which requires much more care, is only 

 subject to 30s. (or about $7.30). He considered a well organized 

 combination of all producers might achieve success, while he 

 added that there were many and great difficulties in such a course. 

 The excessive warehouse charges in London were criticized and 

 the suggestion was made of establishing a central London ware- 

 house for plantation rubber upon co-operative lines. Direct ship- 

 ments from the East to the United States and the Continent 

 are rapidly increasing, while the Panama canal will afford 

 further facilities as to the latter market, the principal consumer 

 of rubber. 



COMBINATION. 



Some discussion took place as to Mr. Trotter's statement that 

 combination was inapplicable; in view of the fact that 286 com- 

 panies representing 34.265 tons, estimated as representing more 

 than 50 per cent, of the whole, had assented to the principle. 

 Mr. Trotter explained that the report of his speech was the ex- 

 pression of his own personal opinion. Everybody was prepared 

 to agree to the principle of combination, but as soon as an effort 

 was made to apply it, it broke down. The report as presented 

 by Mr. Trotter was ultimately adopted. 



JOB. BETHUNE ON STANDAKDIZATION. 



During his recent visit to Ceylon, Mr. A. Bethune. chairman 

 of the Rubber Growers' Association, stated that the evidence of 

 British manufacturers was generally in favor of standardization, 

 hut that it was decided to postpone any definite decision until 

 the views of .\merican manufacturers had been obtained. 1 he 

 plan, if adopted, would cost an amount equal to $100,000 and it 

 was imperative to know, before the money was spent, that the 

 scheme would receive the general support of all manufacturers 



DS. LYSE ON STANDAKDIZATION. 



In addressing the "Tropical .Agriculturist." Dr. K. .V. Ly:i'-. 

 Director of ."Kgriculture. Ceylon, remarks that while rubber can be 

 produced in Ceylon more cheaply than in any other country- in the 

 world, it is necessary to give it the one quality it now lac's, 

 namely, uniformity. The precise steps needed are being studied 

 by the Department of .Agriculture. He adds: 



"Standardization can be effected either by all plantations adopt- 

 ing a set system of preparation proved to give the best results 

 after vulcanization; or by their ceasing to manufacture rubber 

 and confining their operations solely to the coagulation of latex, 

 the subsequent preparation to be carried out in a few large central 

 factories. . . . We don't suggest that co-operation need stop 

 at preparation, but we believe the industry would be lifted to a 

 different plane if it were adopted even to this extent. . . 

 It is thus that the dairy industries of the Dominion have been 

 built up." 



THE GOOCEICH BRANCH IN JAPAN. 



The B. F. Goodrich Co., of Akron. Ohio, in a letter to The 

 Indi.a Rubber World under date of March 7, denies the report 

 in circulation regarding the intention of the company to establish 

 a branch manufacturing plant in Japan under the management 

 of Gosaki Goto, who has been in Akron familiarizing himself 

 with details of rubber goods manufacture. This company al- 

 ready has a general branch business in Japan, at 1 Yurakucho 

 Itchome, Kojimachi-Ku, Tokyo, established about a year ago 

 and in charge of A. P. Van Damm. where a full line of such of 

 the Goodrich products as are salable in that coimtry are carried, 

 a complete corps of salesmen being engaged in their sale. 



A NEW PACIFIC SOURCE OF RUBBER. 



From Our Japanese Correspondent. 



IX 27 degrees north latitude and 142 degrees east longitude 

 ■^ lie the Ogasawara Islands ; distant 530 nautical miles from 

 Tokyo City. The group is composed of twenty small islands, 

 with a total area of about eleven square miles. Tho situ- 

 ated in the temperate zone, they are traversed by the Japanese 

 Current flowing from the South Sea. The islands are governed 

 by the Prefecture of Tokyo. Some twenty years ago rubber 

 trees were planted at the experimental station, where some of 

 them are now four feet in circumference at a height of three feet 

 from the ground. 



The rubber testing well, the authorities began to sell planta- 

 tions at cost, and sought to encourage the formation of larger 

 ones by purchases from the Department of Agriculture and 

 Commerce. Operations were carried on between 1890 and 

 1913, which thus encouraged rubber planting. The trees 

 planted include Para rubber. Fieiis Elastica and Ceara, the 

 latter being preferred as most suitable, as it grows four or five 

 feet a year. 



Para rubber trees, for cHmatic reasons, are not regarded as 

 good for this district. Generally speaking, these trees are not old 

 enough for tapping until the eleventh or twelfth year. 



Last spring a party of twenty fourteen to fifteen-year-old 

 boys was dispatched to the Suzuki rubber plantation, in Singa- 

 pore, another company of boys being sent for the same purpose 

 to the Oga-sawara Islands. .About one-half of the former colony 

 was attacked by beri-beri. malaria and other diseases induced 

 by the clirrate and temperature ; one of the boys dying. The 

 wages of these plantation laborers are 35 to 40 sen (17-20 cents) 

 a day. 



JAPANESE PL.\NTING IN MALAYA. 



Japanese settlers seem to have secured nearly 100.000 acres 

 in the Malay peninsula, of which about 2.500 acres have been 

 cultivated. Tapping has so far extended to only 700 acres of 

 the .Akuzawab plantation (Johore). tho an increase of tap- 

 ping is looked for each year. Normal business conditions are 

 being restored, as compared with last year, when they were 

 very poor. 



-Among special features of Japanese rubber plantations in 

 Malaya is the fact that the experience of several years shows 

 the cost of producing crude rubber as 8 pence to 12 

 pence (16 to 24 cents) per pound, while other foreign rubber 

 planters ts.i;vate the cost at 18 pence (35 cents). The reason 



