14 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[October i, 1903. 



labor involved in filling the collapsible tubes. For other pur- 

 poses the solution is still supplied by the rubber works direct ; 

 for instance, in the case of the carriage department at Wool- 

 wich, where the solution has to stand severe tests and must 

 contain not less than 18 per cent, of rubber. The fact that 

 cyclists' solution is now so largely made from African rubber 

 instead of from fine Pari has proved rather a blow to those 

 who commenced making solution from certain kinds of unvul- 

 canized waste of first quality. The solution from this source 

 could compete all right with the Para product, but not with 

 Congo, considering the attendant expenses. With regard to 

 the freight question, though now somewhat a matter of ancient 

 history, it may be mentioned that the efforts of India-Rubber 

 Manufacturers' Association to obtain ameliorations in the 

 conditions of railway transit with respect to large and small 

 quantities of solution were attended with success. The altera- 

 tions have now been in force six months, and as far as I am 

 aware nothing has happened to cause the railway companies to 

 regret their action. It certainly seems as if there has been too 

 pronounced a tendency with both railway companies and mu- 

 nicipal authorities to look upon rubber solution with the same 

 eye as they regard dynamite. No doubt the absence in recent 

 times of any catastrophe has done a good deal to allay appre- 

 hension in the official mind, and we may expect a lessening 

 rather than an increase of vexatious restrictions. 



Desimte the large scale on which the operations of the North 



Western Rubber Co., Limited (Liverpool) are carried, I do not 



find that any of the previously existing firms in 



waste tnat jj ne j n i? n gi anf j have closed their doors. In 



RUBBER. , ° . 



fact from reports made to me I understand that 

 their position has not been at all affected. One reason for this 

 is no doubt that the amount of recovered rubber used at the 

 present time is larger than it was and shows a tendency to in- 

 crease. Another reason may perhaps be found in the fact of 

 the rather high prices asked by the American firm, though in 

 saying this I do not wish to insinuate that the prices do not 

 closely approximate to the quality. The New York quotations 

 for rubber scrap as given in The India Rubber World are 

 interesting to dealers on this side, as in several instances they 

 show a difference from what obtains here. With regard to the 

 demand for rubber scrap the rubber works are buying more 

 and more of it from their customers, these now expecting it as 

 a matter of course. For some time now the demand for drab 

 waste has been greater than the supply, while the conditions 

 are reversed in the case of the black. It is somewhat unfortu- 

 nate that there is a good deal of very good quality too, in the 

 market, which though not black, does not quite pass muster 

 for drab owing to a small amount of litharge having been used 

 in the mixing. Considering the very poor quality of the ma- 

 terial, it is somewhat surprising that old tennis balls obtain 

 such good value as waste, but probably the limited supply of 

 drab available accounts for this. 



THE instrument known as Fletcher's flexible bellows comes 



up for criticism in the last report of the Inspector under the 



Alkali acts, and a word or two with regard to it 



india-rubber m not be super fl uous _ The invention of Mr. 



BELLOWS 



A. E. Fletcher, late chief Inspector under the 

 acts referred to, it has for many years served a useful purpose 

 in enabling the various inspectors to take samples of chimney 

 gases for test in a much shorter time than by any box aspirator. 

 The form is accurately described as that of a concertina; into 

 the details of its use I need not enter except to say that the 

 absorbent chemical is introduced into the bellows and is shaken 

 up with the aspirated gas. The standard capacity is H of a cu- 

 bic foot, and it is made by the Silvertown company, a royalty 



THE 



MACINTOSH 



TRADE. 



being paid to Mr. Fletcher. At first the outside was protected 

 by a coating of canvas attached to the rubber, but rubber alone 

 of the best quality is now used. It is not surprising that, ow- 

 ing to the use of these bellows in chemical works, they some- 

 times show premature decay, which is not always easy to ex- 

 plain, but the users of them have found that they last longer 

 when in regular use than if put away for some months. I do 

 not propose to go deeply into the scientific matter which Mr. 

 Linder discusses in the alkali report. The main result, and 

 what does not cause me any surprise, is that he finds the inner 

 surface of the rubber to be covered with a resinous body which 

 acts like an acid. This is of course the ordinary product of the 

 oxidation of rubber and it is easy to understand that its pres- 

 ence might interfere with test made for acidity in gases where 

 alkaline absorbents are used. Some of the inspectors use aque- 

 ous hydrogen per oxide, which I understand does not damage 

 the rubber, though an ethereal solution does so energetically. 

 It may be contended that this subject, to which I have devoted 

 some considerable space, is hardly of sufficient general interest, 

 but at any rate it deals with an application of rubber, and one 

 which is unfamiliar to more than one or two members of the 

 trade. 



Although only last month I referred to this topic in a pes- 

 simistic strain, it would appear from information derived from 

 one of our most important firms that a demand 

 has set in for good quality material, the increased 

 amount of rubber now being used in this branch 

 being assigned as one of the causes of the pres- 

 ent high price of rubber, or rather as a reason why the price 

 should not be expected to decline at the moment. That a re- 

 vival has come about is further evident from what is to be seen 

 in the streets and in the windows of the leading outfitters 

 who a twelvemonth ago had ceased to exhibit the rubber coat. 

 No doubt the very wet summer we have had has caused a re- 

 turn of allegiance to an old friend. 



For the future this company will be known under the ex- 

 tended title of the Irwell and Eastern Rubber Co., Limited. 

 The latter concern was founded some years ago 

 the irwell b the Messrs. Colsall in East London and has 



RUBBER CO. ' . ,. 



an important metropolitan connection. I have 

 previously referred to the extensions in progress at the works 

 of the Irwell company, and am informed by the directorate 

 that these are almost completed and that the past delays in 

 executing orders consequent on insufficient premises will now 

 be obviated. If it is permissible to comment on the extensions 

 taking place at this and one or two other works, one is forced 

 to the conclusion that the personality of the guiding spirit is a 

 more valuable asset than what usually figures under this head- 

 ing in an accountant's certificate. 



The practical monopoly so long held by Messrs. Ayres in 

 the supply of balls for tournaments and clubs has been seri- 

 ously assailed this season and last by Messrs. 



lawn tennis si azen ger, whose balls have been adopted by 



balls. , & . . . , .. p ' 



the committees of the leading tournaments. 



Neither of these firms make the ball themselves, merely doing 

 the covering. As far as ordinary club use goes, Slazengef's are 

 in favor because they clean well, whereas Ayres' are reported 

 as not cleaning at all well. This is an important point in the 

 case of town clubs, where the balls get dirty very rapidly. At 

 the same time those who favor Slazenger's because of this at- 

 tribute, admit that Ayres' ball has rather more life about it 

 than the other, which appears to be of a heavier build. As far 

 as the washing is concerned, the difference in behavior can 

 only be attributed to the quality of the material used in the 

 textile covering. 



