July i. 1910.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



'339 



to the rule. But the production on its own account of 

 the rubber required by a single manufacturing company 

 by no means makes a monopoly of the raw rubber mar- 

 ket, even if it should give such company an advantage 

 over some of its competitors. There is no other industry 

 in the country which does not afford openings for new 

 beginners or for independent factories, whether large or 

 small, and the same appears to be true of rubber today as 

 at anv time since Goodvear. 



RUBBER AND SPECULATION. 



THE LATEST DEMAND FOR RUBBER. 



WHILE Count Zeppelin's exploits in aviation have 

 been preceded by some very notable flights on 

 both sides of the Atlantic, what he has been doing of late, 

 perhaps more than the work of an)- one individual, points 

 to the practical development of travel in the air. If one 

 man can build an airship and travel in it 250 miles 

 straight away with twelve passengers in less than four 

 hours, landing them safely according to a pre-arranged 

 schedule, it is reasonable to suppose that longer flights 

 can be made, and as many or more passengers carried, 

 under similar conditions. Moreover the doughty Count 

 — and he is only 72 years old — has organized a daily 

 schedule of travel through the air, booking passengers. 

 It is rather expensive travel, to be sure, but not more so 

 than some people with money are willing to pav for by 

 other mediums. 



The interest to the rubber trade of this new sport — or 

 means of travel, or warfare, or however ultimately it may 

 he classed — lies in the extensive demand for rubber to 

 which it points. There is enough rubberized cloth in the 

 envelope of the "Zeppelin" to completely cover one of 

 New York's biggest skvscrapers, and it has to be ma- 

 terial of the best quality. For the present it does not mat- 

 ter much whether airships and aeroplanes are "prac- 

 tical" or not ; it seems that for some time to come, if 

 not for always, there will be people eager for the sensa- 

 tion of flying, and this may be the only means whereby 

 some of them will ever "get up in the w^orld." There is 

 a harvest in sight for the rubber manufacturers who find 

 themselves in a position to supply suitable fabrics for the 

 new vehicles, even though all of these may not be as ex- 

 pansive as the "Zeppelin." 



It is singular how small has been the percentage of 

 aeronauts injured in connection with flights, by whatever 

 type of machine used. Not every one of these bold flyers 

 is able to land just as he may wish, but most of them 

 escape personal injuries, whatever may happen to their 

 machines. The danger has been rather to people who re- 

 main on the ground. Even the smallest flying mr.chine is 

 apt to produce unpleasant results in case it falls unex- 

 pectedly upon a mere pedestrian. This fact alone may 

 do much to encourage aviation, and thereby stimulate a 

 demand for rubber fabrics. It is possible that in time 

 everybody will make a point of riding in the air. to avoid 

 being killed by other peoples' machines falling on them. 



AN after effect of the exceedingly high price to which 

 rubber went some time ago is a tendency on the 

 part of the producers to refuse to sell at present lower 

 prices. In other words, they evidently believe the. "level" 

 to be $3 a pound when it is really $2- a pound or less. The 

 ultimate result of this procedure will be excellent for the 

 rubber manufacturer. Instead of carr\ ing large stocks 

 themselves, others will do it. and eventually that rubber 

 will be put upon the market at the current price and will 

 act to depress prices and to prevent speculation. 



Rubber producers are just as human as any other class 

 of business men and betray the same failings. When 

 rubber was very low they laid it to speculative influences, 

 and clamored for help. When the price became so high 

 that it was almost prohibitive they unctuously talked of 

 the law of supply and demand and pocketed the profits. 

 To them low rubber is speculation with the "s" silent. 

 High rubber a normal, business condition. 



Speaking of bubbles, it is well to remember that the art of 

 bubble blowing has developed wonderfully in the last few years. 

 At the outset soap and water made a mixture that, properly 

 manipulated, produced a small irredescent «1> ■) 10 that lasted but 

 a few seconds. Scientists of our day added glycerine and made 

 a buhble larger and more beautiful, that lasted for hours. Then 

 came the rubber bubble, sold at every county fair, that lasted 

 for weeks and months, and the acme of bubble blowing had been 

 accomplished. Reasoning by analogy, therefore, was not the 

 "Mississippi Bubble" like the primitive soap bubble, inherently 

 weak and sure to perish quickly, and is not the "Rubber [Planta- 

 tion] Bubble," modern, strong, inherently sound, and therefore 

 hound to last a long while? 



A MANUFACTURER ON PRICES. 



TO the Editor of The India Rubber World: A paper such 

 as yours that is in business to serve the interests of the 

 rubber manufacturer should incite a public impression that the 

 present situation is only temporary, that it is speedily going to be 

 corrected, and that there is no immediate disaster ahead for 

 either the manufacturer of the rubber article or the purchaser 

 of same. a manufacturer. 



June 13, 1910. 



INDIA-RUBBER GOODS IN COMMERCE. 



EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. 



OFFICIAL statement of values of exports of manufactures 

 of india-rubber and gutta-percha for the month of April, 

 1910, and the first ten months of five fiscal years, beginning 

 July 1 : 



Belting, Boots All 



Muxths. Packing and Other Total. 



and Hose. Shoes. Rubbers. 



April, 1910 $163,433 $93,926 $571,809 $829,168 



July-March 1,416,655 1,499,770 3,510,618 6.427,043 



