September 1, 1912.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



579 



Some manufacturers have well-defined opinions concerning 



the new fire-hose specifications ; and probably more time has 

 been spent in discussing the subject privately than would have 

 been the case if the manufacturers and the underwriters had 

 met in general session, there to thrash out their differences. 



This is but one of the very sensitive points of interest 

 which should be considered at a conference devoted to the in- 

 terests of manufacturers and consumers of rubber goods. 



Dr. I'REDERIC ]J.\.\.\EKTH. 



Similarly, the specifications prepared by certain railroad com- 

 panies are considered by some to be beside the mark. The 

 United States Navy, the manufacturers of insulated wire^ 

 these and many others are interested in the question of 

 specifications. 



It was with this in view that invitations were sent to the 

 chief chemists and the engineers-of-test of the principal Amer- 

 ican railroads, the National Fire Protection Association, 

 American Society for Testing Materials, the United States De- 

 partment of the Navy, the United States Bureau of Standards, 

 and the American Institute of Operating Engineers. 



Aside from these interests, there will be in attendance at the 

 Conference, representatives of rubber goods manufacturers, 

 planters of rubber from tropical countries, textile specialists 

 and others who are vitally interested in the future of the rub- 

 ber industry. After a careful consideration of the subjects 

 to be discussed at the Congress of Applied Chemistry, it was 

 considered desirable to take up at the Rubber Conference those 

 topics which appear to be of more immediate importance to 

 the manufacturer and consumer. 



In order to show the careful thought that our best rubber 

 chemists are giving the work of the Conference, abstracts are 

 given below from a letter received from one correspondent : — 



"I suggest these topics : 



"1. What subjects should be in well-balanced specifications for 

 rubber articles? 



"2. Has a chemical analysis any practical value as a means 

 of determining the quality of vulcanized rubber? 



"3. Of what value are physical tests for determining the 

 quality of vulcanized rubber? 



"4. How can the manufacturer and consumer best co-operate 

 in the development of fair and reliable specifications? 



"S. For what articles are specifications valuable, and for 

 what articles are they impossible?" 



Other correspondents have suggested such topics as : 



6. Asbestos-rubber packings: their uses and their limitations. 



7. Methods for "pre-determining" the life of rubber compounds. 



8. Materials particularly well adapted for insulated wire 

 compounds. 



9. The value of tensile strength tests in the appraisement of 

 raw rubber. 



10. The influence exerted by lead fillers on vulcanization, 

 and the "life" of a compound. 



11. Physical and chemical methods for evaluating shoddies. 



12. The value and disadvantages of asphaltums as fillers. 



13. The applications of antimony sulphide in the manufac- 

 ture of druggists' sundries. 



14. Rational specifications for duck used in hose and belting. 



15. Is it wise, or even proper, for a customer to specify 

 both the raw materials and the physical properties of a manu- 

 factured article? 



16. "Scientific Management" in rubber works. 



17. Trade customs in the rubber industry. 



These are but a few of the many topics which have been 

 submitted, and it is sincerely hoped that the engineers and 

 chemists who have specialized in the problems of the rubber 

 industrj' will give the matter their earnest consideration. 



Probably the first attempt which was made to bring rubber 

 goods manufacturers in consultation with the consumer was 

 the Navy Conference, which was held within the past year, 

 and. which brought out such a frank expression of opinion. 

 It has frequently been noted that there is a tendency on the 

 part of consumers to question the motives of the manufac- 

 turers, but experience has shown that the most progressive 

 manufacturers are those who desire to co-operate to the great- 

 est possible extent with the men who purchase their products. 



The Executive Committee, which has been formed to act 

 in an advisory capacity to the Conference consists of the fol- 

 lowing: E. S. Land, U. S. N., Washington, District of Co- 

 lumbia; D. A. Cutler, New York; Dr. Lothar Weber, Boston, 

 Massachusetts; Dr. W. C. Geer, Akron, Ohio; Dr. S. P. 

 Sharpies, Boston, Massachusetts; Dr. Eugenio Dahne, Brazil; 

 C. E. S. Baxendale, Federated Malay States; F. Crosbie-Roles, 

 Ceylon; A. Staines Manders, London. 



The president of the Conference is Henry C. Pearson. 



Persons whose name, title and address are forwarded 

 promptly to the Honorary Secretary will receive invitations 

 to attend the Conference. 



Details of the arrangements for the Conference meetings 

 will be ready for distribution September first, and those de- 

 siring the same should apply by card or letter to Frederic 

 Dannerth, Honorary Secretary, Third International Rubber 

 Conference, Grand Central Palace, New York City. 



Fifteen of the principal American railways will be represented 

 at the Conference through their chief chemists and engineers of 

 tests. 



WHAT NEW YORK WILL SEE IN MALAYAN KUBBER. 



Previous to the shipment of the 20.000 pounds of rubber to be 

 comprised in the Malayan exhibit at New York, it was placed on 

 view at the Masonic Hall, Kuala Lumpur. The exhibits were 

 contained in 120 packing cases. Six qualities were shown — 

 smoked and unsmoked sheet; fine, blanket, scrap and bark crepe. 



The "Malay Mail" adds: 



"Sungei Kapar was the biggest contributor with 3,000 pounds 

 of rubber of every variety. They forwarded eight casjs of 

 block, and although it was more than an inch in thickness it 

 was transparent. Manufacturers at previous exhibitions have 

 paid little attention to specimens of block rubber, owing to 

 their inability to determine whether it was pure rubber through- 

 out, but it is safe to say Sungei Kapar's exhibit will do a 

 great deal to destroy the prejudice. 



