338 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[April 1, 1912. 



RUBBER MATTERS IN JAPAN. 



TO THE Editor of the India Rubber World; When I last 

 wrote to you in July, I did not expect that such a long period 

 would elapse before my next letter to you. This brings to mind 

 the truth of the proverb that "Time and Tide Wait for No Man." 

 The only excuse I can offer — and that a rather flimsy one — is that 

 there has been a dearth of news in the rubber business, and I 

 therefor-e had very little occasion to write to you in this con- 

 nection. 



Since last July, the market prices of Upriver hard fine Para 

 have fluctuated between $1.15 and $1.30 gold per lb., not a 

 very wide range of fluctuation, the minimum figure being still 

 higher than the quotations given in June, at which some active 

 business was transacted. The revision of the import tariff, with 

 the heavier duty it imposes on nearly all lines of manufacture, 

 should have stimulated the import of raw materials, but, although 

 seven months have elapsed since it came into effect, we do not 

 yet observe any remarkable change in the volume of imports, par- 

 ticularly in our line of business. This may be partly due to the 

 financial problems involved in the earlier fluctuations of rubber, 

 but the inactivity is also doubtless due to the industry still being 

 in its infancy. Although it may appear trivial, however, in com- 

 parison with the vast extent of the rubber industry, not only in 

 your country, but on the continent of Europe and in Great 

 Britain, the rubber industry in Japan does show considerable 

 progress. As statistics show, ten years ago the total volume of 

 our rubber imports, including india-rubber, gutta-percha and 

 rubber sheets, etc., did not exceed $75,000 gold yearly. Today 



JJ*r/*» , 'tin ^ Af^ Mir JufJic/l^a Sin_,6oT /r,r 



f II ,■< K ¥ 1 



Chart of ftaotatloiM tf 

 Sorneo Rubbsr So. X, 1911. 



this total has been swelled to $1,000,000 gold, which figure does 

 not include rubber manufactures, such as tubes, rods, etc. 



Expansion has not been gradual throughout the ten years, 

 however; the most rapid progress has been witnessed since the 

 Russo-Japan war. Our manufactures, however, are not sufficient 



yet to supply the domestic demand, still less do they enable us to 

 engage in the export business. 



As you will have learned from the newspapers on your side, 

 affairs in China are in an extremely unsettled state, and of course 

 this commotion has had a very deterrent influence on the trade 

 between China and Japan. As the total of our exports of rubber 

 goods to that country have not exceeded $50,000 gold per' annum, 

 and the parcels have been of such a small volume as to be de- 

 livered principally by parcels post, the rubber industry has not 

 been affected to any extent by the revolution. We trust that 

 when matters are put on a more satisfactory basis, China may 

 be a customer for our industry, and that the industry may im- 

 prove, so that we may cater satisfactorily to the trade. We 

 solicit your kind assistance, both directly and indirectly, to this 

 end. 



For your information, I now have the pleasure to enclose 

 chart of the quotations of Borneo rubber for this year. The 

 prices are based upon deliveries ex. wharf, Yokohama, in piculs 

 of 133 pounds. Our Yen corresponds to 50.35 cents' of your 

 money. Kenzo Okad.v 



Tokyo, Japan. 



INCREASED PRODUCTION OF TALC AND SOAPSTONE. 



A REPORT of the Government Geological Survey shows that 

 there was a considerable increase in the production of talc and 

 soapstone in this country in 1910, the production for that year 

 being 150,716 tons, an increase of 16 per cent, in quantity and of 

 30 per cent, in value over 1909. This increased production came 

 chiefly from New York, with some assistance from Vermont, 

 Pennsylvania and Georgia. 



According to this report "New York increased 48 per cent, in 

 quantity of output and much more m relative value. Georgia 

 trebled its production. Vermont gained 10 per cent, in produc- 

 tion and 14 per cent, in value. In Massachusetts, although the 

 quantity reported sold was somewhat less than in 1909, the actual 

 production increased about 16 per cent, in quantity and 7 per 

 cent, in value. There was a decline in the production sold in all 

 the other states with the exception of Rhode Island, but in New 

 Jersey the decline was scarcely appreciable. In Virginia, which 

 is the great soapstone state, the decline in quantity and value 

 was only about 2 per cent. ; in North Carolina it was 35 per- cent., 

 and in Maryland and California it was about 50 per cent. 



"The variation in the production of the different states is in 

 part at least due to variations in the immediately available de- 

 posits, but in general it may be said that the deposits are exten- 

 sive and show no signs of depletion. 



"In the best grades of talc the United States is deficient. They 

 are imported chiefly from France and Italy. 



"In 1910 nearly 11 per cent, of the material was sold as crude 

 from the mine, about 7 per cent, as sawed into slabs, 15 per cent, 

 as manufactured, and 67 per cent, as ground. The sale of rough 

 talc and also of manufactured articles declined during the year, 

 while the sale of slabs and of ground talc advanced greatly. 



"The productive talc and soapstone belt of the United States 

 is limited almost exclusively to the .Atlantic States from New 

 York and Vermont to Georgia. Outside of this belt there is 

 only a small production in California." 



SHINGLES OF ASBESTOS. 



The industry of making shingles out of asbestos is said to be 

 assuming considerable proportions in this coimtry. This seems 

 to be a logical development, as the asbestos shingle is not only 

 light in weight, but fireproof — a tremendous advantage over the 

 wooden shingle — and also weatherproof, so that it will last in- 

 definitely. 



