64 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[November i, 1903. 



THE TEXTILE GOODS MARKET. 



IT is not often that the rubber trade is called upon to face such 

 conditions as exist at the present time. In years past, the 

 first of October saw the greater part of the textile requirements 

 of the rubber mills covered for the entire year, but November 

 has come and probably not 2 per cent, of the mills have closed 

 contracts for their cotton fabrics. The reason is clear to those 

 who have watched the fluctuations of the raw cotton market. 

 Last month the manufacturers of duck and sheeting looked for- 

 ward to the middle of October when they would have closed up 

 all the business their mills could take care of for the season, but 

 when that time came both the seller and the consumer were as 

 much at sea as ever, and a fortnight later they were no better 

 off. 



A week ago some thought that the market had settled down 

 to a substantial and steady basis, for a time at least. A few rub- 

 ber concerns made contracts, and a number of thestitched belt- 

 ing factories also placed their contracts for the year. These ar- 

 rangements are said to have been made on the basis of 10 cent 

 cotton, and the duck contracts were made at about 20 cents a 

 pound. Some have paid more and others less, but it is under- 

 stood that 20 cxnts is about the average. The past week saw a 

 number of rubber manufacturers in the marketlooking over the 

 field, and it is understood that some of them were about to 

 close contracts for the year, but in the meantime the cotton 

 market took a sudden jump and the textile manufacturers 

 shrunk from proceeding farther until conditions became more 

 settled. Here the matter stands. 



The developments during the past day or two in the cotton 

 market have caused those who have made contracts to con- 

 gratulate themselves, as good authorities are now figuring on a 

 10.000.000 bale crop, but this is a " bullish " estimate, and must 

 be accepted for what it is worth. The price of raw cotton has, 

 however, advanced during the past week Yz cent a pound and 

 the market is in the complete control of the " bull " element. 

 But meanwhile the rubber trade and the stitched belting peo- 

 ple are not suffering for textiles. The latter having placed 

 such heavy orders last year for their season's supply they are 

 now in possession of sufficient quantities of duck to keep their 

 mills running until such time as new contracts can be made. 



The past week has seen considerable quantities of sheeting 

 change hands, the rubber footwear concerns having bought 

 quite freely at full prices, and the mills producing special 

 grades are well employed at present. The duck mills have 

 been buying cotton as fast as the right grade came into sight, 

 and the most of them have enough to carry them well along 

 into next year. These mills have been running full for several 

 weeks, and the past week marked the departure of commission 

 house representatives out into the rubber field with a view to 

 talking up new business. It is very doubtful if sellers will 

 make contracts on anything less than 10 cent cotton, and per- 

 haps they will ask an even higher price. Many of the spinners 

 have been delaying their purchase of cotton in hope to see a 

 decline, while the British consumers have bought all the cotton 

 they could obtain. This has placed the American spinners in 

 the position of hunters after desirable grades, with poor success 

 in covering their requirements. 



The following are the prices of cotton middling upland spots 

 at the ports of New York, New Orleans, and Liverpool : 



New York, New Orleans. Liverpool. 



October 6 9,50 cents 9% cents 5 78a'. 



October 13 9 60 cents 9J^ cents 5.64a". 



October 20 9 80 ceuts 9% cents 5 68d. 



October 27 10.45 cents 10^ cents 5.82a". 



The stitched belting people held a meeting in New York a 



fortnight ago for the purpose of revising prices and adjusting 

 a number of minor matters of interest to the manufacturers 

 Representatives were present from all the concerns in the 

 country except the Gandy company, of Baltimore, and as this 

 concern produces about one-third of all the stitched belting 

 used in the United States, its competitors thought it would be 

 a case of playing " Hamlet " with Hamlet omitted, and so they 

 sent a delegation to see the Baltimore manufacturer. The 

 conference resulted in settling the question of cooperation in 

 the matter of a readjustment of prices, but the Gandy company 

 refused to enter into any agreement that would restrict its in- 

 dependence in any respect. It is said that there will not be 

 any advance in the price of belting, but the prices on the vari- 

 ous kinds will be changed somewhat and made more uniform. 



PRICES CURRENT FOR SHEETINGS FOR THE RUBBER TRADE. 

 Pick. Yds. to Lb. 



36" Household Favorite, 56x60, 4.00 5^ cents. 



40* Household Favorite, 56x60, 360 sH cents. 



36" Henrietta, L. L., 48x52,400 5 cents. 



3Q" Henrietta, 68x72, 4.75 (net) 5 cents. 



38J" Henrietta, 64x64, 515 4^ cents. 



40" Henrietta, 48x40, 2.85 (part waste) 6J^ cents. 



36" Florence C., 44x44,6.15 4 cents. 



36' American L., 64x64, 5.00 (net) 4^ cents. 



40" Majestic C. C, 

 40" Majes:ic B B. B. 

 40" Majestic B. B., 

 40" Ekaney, 

 36" India, 



48x48, 2.50 7% cents. 



do 2.70 6% cents. 



do 285 6J^ cents. 



do 3.60 s l 2 cents. 



do 3.00 5^ cents. 



Sheetings. 40" Selkirk. . . . 7^c. 40" Shamrock. .. 9 c. 



40" Highgate . . . 53/c. 40" Sellew 7)4 C - Ducks. 



40' Hightown. ..6 c. 48* Mohawk, ...10 c. 40" 7 oz. Cran- 



40" Hobart 6^c. 40" Marcus. .. S%c. ford. ... 8^c. 



40" Kingstons. ..7>£c. 40' Mallory 5 c. 40* 8oz. Chart- 



39" Stonyhurst...5^c. 36" Capstans. . ..4 c. res 8^c. 



39* Sorosis 5 c. Osnaburgs. 40* tooz Carew. II c. 



40" Seefeld 8 c. 40" Iroquois 9 c. 40" 11 oz.Carita. 12 c. 



GERMANY AND THE DUTY ON ASBESTOS. 



FROM "THE MONTREAL HERALD." 



K /^\F one thing Canadians may be certain and it is that 

 ^^ Germany will not place any duty on raw materials 

 which may be sent from Canada into that country. My reason 

 for saying so is that the Government itself is a large user of the 

 raw materials sent from Canada and would not be willing to 

 add to its cost." 



This statement was made to a Herald representative at the 

 Place Viger, by Mr. J. Krug, of Hamburg, the only agent for 

 Canadian asbestos in Germany. 



"The demand for Canadian asbestos," he added, "has in- 

 creased rapidly, as its quality is much superior to that obtained 

 from either Georgia or the United States and certain parts of 

 Russia. The output of asbestos in the Province of Quebec, 

 will this year total over 26.000 tons and this will be quite suffi- 

 cient to supply the markets of the United States, England and 

 Germany. 



" Prices are somewhat lower than last year, and owing to the 

 new purposes that are being found to which it can be put we 

 expect that the demand as far as Germany, at least, is con- 

 cerned, will be much greater, as far as quality is concerned 

 there is not any other country that can compete with Canada 

 for asbestos." 



One of our readers in London writes to ask for informa- 

 tion concerning a device or process for extracting the latex 

 from rubber trees by means of suction, which was referred to 

 some time ago in The India Rubber World. We are not 

 aware that this method has been practically developed as yet. 



