September 1, 1920.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



839 



average is generally too low, this method of procedure spells 

 loss to the purchaser. Another point is this : — rubber from this 

 colony is of an irregular quality and is appraised below cor- 

 responding grades of Malayan or Ceylon rubber. Now, it hap- 

 pens that many importers of the Indo-Chinese rubber, consider- 

 ing their mark sufficiently well-known, refuse to take samples 

 from lots offered for sale and offer only samples taken from 

 former lots. This, in combination with the pretty bad reputation 

 of Indo-China rubber, forces an importer, who begins by demand- 

 ing a price based on the rate for Malayan rubber quoted in 

 London, to sell his goods at a price very much below the Ixindon 

 rate and often below the actual value of his rubber. 

 IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. 



According to a recent issue of the "Bulletin Econumique de 

 I'IndoclUne," France sent to this colony during the year 1918, 

 rubber goods — chiefly tires — to the value of 1,305,000 francs and 

 weighing 687 quintals (220.46 pounds) against a value of 1,233,000 

 francs and a weight of 649 quintals during 1917, the figures for 

 1918 showing an increase in value of 72,000 francs. 



From other countries the imports were as follows: — boots and 

 shoes of rubber: 391 quintals, value 313,100 francs in 1918 and 

 139 quintals, value 111,100 francs in 1917; elastic fabrics: 55 

 quintals, value 136,800 francs in 1918 against 31 quintals, value 

 72,200 francs in the previous year. Belting, hose and packing 

 also showed an increase for 1918, the figures being 421 quintals, 

 value 378,800 francs, as compared with 205 quintals, value 184,700 

 francs during 1917. The most important increase was tires and 

 tubes, the 1918 imports being 403 quintals, value 766,000 francs 

 against only 75 quintals, value 142,500 francs in 1917. Here the 

 diflference in favor of 1918 is 623,500 francs. That Japan's share 

 in all this business is considered important, although the amounts 

 are 186 quintals, value 226,000 francs, is seen from the fact that 

 the imports from that country are the only ones to be specially 

 mentioned. The e.xports of crude rubber follows : 



Other Total 



France. Countries, Totals. Values. 



Kiios. Kilos. Kilos. Francs. 



1913 168,700 45,200 213,900 



1914 146.000 48,000 194,600 876,000 



1915 376,100 600 376,700 1,695,000 



1916 547,800 700 548,500 3,292,000 



1917 930,800 930,800 5,585,000 



1918 537,700 537,700 3,226,000 



The drop in exports during 1918 was more than made up for 

 during 1919, when total exports of rubber amounted to 3,518,969 

 kilos. Of this 2,834,853 kilos of plantation rubber went to 

 France; 7,084, kilos to London; 32,816 kilos to Hongkong; 939 

 kilos to San Francisco ; 354,106 kilos to Shanghai ; 259,822 kilos 

 to Singapore. Besides this 29,349 kilos of wild rubber were 

 shipped to Marseilles. 



THE RUBBER TRADE OF INDIA. 



RUBBER is fast becoming one of Burma's principal exports ; 

 4,149,000 pounds being shipped in the fiscal year 1918-19 as 

 against 2,634,000 pounds in 1917-18, and 2,301,000 pounds in 

 1916-17. Most, of these shipments went to the United Kingdom. 

 Rubber goods to the value of $6,505; $18,538; and $11,292 were 

 imported from the United States to Burma during the fiscal 

 years 1917, 1918 and 1919 respectively. The decrease in 1919 

 was due chiefly to import and export restrictions. Declared ex- 

 ports of india rubber from Rangoon to the United States in 

 1918 totalled 4,480 pounds valued $2,777; in 1919, 112,215 pounds 

 valued $57,142. 



There are 500 mills or factories in Burma, which offer a possi- 

 ble market for rubber belting. Though the British are said to 

 control the greater part of this business, competition from 

 American manufacturers is beginning to be felt. The imports of 



rubber, balata, and fabric belting were, in 1918-1919, i76,600 com- 

 pared with i38,O0O in 1914-1915. 



In the hope of restoring the rubber industry in Burma, the 

 Government has decided to advance 100 rupees at 6^ per cent in- 

 terest for every acre planted with rubber. During the first six 

 months of 1919, Burma's largest ten plantations produced 1,142,- 

 383 pounds of rubber. Exports in the same period amounted to 

 2,206,527 pounds, valued at $836,052. 



CALCUTTA. 



Rubber articles to the value of $1,565,216 were imported at 

 the port of Calcutta during 1917-18. The following year, 1918-19, 

 shows a slight increase in value, the amount totaling $1,586,529. 

 Raw rubber exported from Calcutta in 1917-18 amounted to 

 $2,024, while in 1918-19 the amount decreased to $1,864. 



SOUTH AMERICAN NOTES. 



MANUFACTURERS of rubber to the value of $241,398 were im- 

 ported into Peru in 1918 as against $162,923 in 1917. Ex- 

 ports of crude rubber from Peru in 1917 were: Condurango, 

 $91,836; crude, $2,812,640; during 1918, Condurango $47,497; 

 crude $1,573,646. Declared exports of rubber to the United 

 .States from Callao during 1917 were 3,760 pounds of Condurango, 

 valued $375 and 8,568 pounds of raw rubber valued $4,435. From 

 Mollendo 705,684 pounds of rubber valued $393,536 were exported 

 to the United States in 1917, while in 1918 the amount decreased 

 to 25,112 pounds valued $12,066. 



NICARAGUA. 



Exports of crude rubber from Nicaragua amounted to $258,852 

 in 1917 as against $42,619 in 1918. This decrease was due to the 

 restrictions placed upon this product and the decline of the mar- 

 ket. Declared exports of rubber from Corinto to the United 

 States in 1917 were 224,429 pounds valued $107,158; in 1918, 

 77,000 pounds valued $25,479. 



PIRELLI BUYS JAVAN ESTATE 



It is reported that on June 10, 1920, the Rubber & Tea Estate 

 Boesi Sari Lendra, covering about 2,100 acres, and planted for 

 the greater part, was sold for about $540,000 to Pirelli & Co., 

 Milan, Italy, manufacturers of tires, rubber goods, insulated wire, 

 etc. The estate is situated about 30 miles from Garoct, Java. 



The Italian company acted through Dr. Luigi Sarcoli, a doctor 

 of chemistry, who will establish himself in Java and act as estate 

 manager. He, together with .Mfredo Calcagni, also connected 

 with the Pirelli factory, arrived in Java with a staff of 30 

 employes. 



The estate will now be operated exclusively for supplying raw 

 material to the plant in Milan. 



Buying up more estates was at first considered, but owing to 

 difficulties with foreign exchange, nothing appears to have' come 

 of this yet. 



ALGERIA RUBBER IMPORTS. 



Rubber goods were imported into Algeria in larger quantity in 

 1919 than in 1918, the totals being 421 metric tons valued at 

 $1,846,624 in 1918 as against 610 metric tons valued at $2,731,143 

 in 1919. The quantity of imports of rubber and gutta percha 

 goods from the United States in kilos (1 kilo equals 2.2046 

 pounds) for the year 1919 is given provisionally in the table 

 below : 



Fountain pens Kilos 318 



Shoes 37 



Tires 16.400 



Other rubber manufactures 300 



