112 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January i, 1908. 



Dunlop company are by no means the rule in the rubber trade. 

 What is known now as the Dunlop Rubber Co. is the factory 

 and business of the late firm of Byrne Brothers, at Birmingham, 

 acquired and extended by the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co., 

 Limited, some years ago. The main point of interest about it 

 is that it has the same board of directors as the Pneumatic 

 Tyre company, and that it has the business privilege of supply- 

 ing all the tires sold by the latter company, or at any rate all 

 those sold under the name of Dunlop tires. Of late years, 

 owing to the lapse of the Dunlop patents, it has been the policy 

 of the board to extend the manufactures, and they now cover 

 a wide range both in mechanicals and waterproof clothing. It 

 will be remembered that the Dunlop Tyre company reorganized 

 its capital last year, but even with the improved prospects the 

 shareholders are in a very different position from their brethren 

 in the rubber company. The Dunlop Tyre shares, it may be 

 mentioned, are quoted at the time of writing at 16 shillings for 

 £1 shares. To refer to a technical point, there can be little doubt 

 that the acquisition of the Doughty high temperature vulcanizing 

 patents by the Dunlop Rubber company has proved a highly 

 profitable move, the economy of the process giving its possessor 

 a great advantage over competitors. This is, however, only 

 with regard to cycle tire covers, the process, it is understood, 

 not being applicable to rubber of the thickness necessitated in 

 motor tires. 



Now that the House of Lords, the highest tribunal in the 



land, has given its decision against the validity of the Haskell 



ball patent, litigation now ceases. 



GOLF BALL Naturally the great armv of golfers see 



LITIGATION. , . ■^ , . r'- ^< ii,„ 



nothmg to complam of m the way the 

 case against I\Iessrs. Hutchinson, Main & Co. has terminated, as 

 the competition which must ensue between the various makers 

 will of course be in their favor. With regard to the business of 

 the future, it may be pointed out that although there is no patent 

 generally as regards the use of rubber wound under tension, 

 this does not apply to minor improvements. Several patents are 

 now in existence involving details which the several makers 

 claim as conferring advantages on their make compared with 

 others. Thus the composition and physical characteristics of 

 the solid core have been made a matter for close attention, 

 Charles Macintosh & Co., Limited, among others, having 

 patented a core of a special design. The best rubber cored balls 

 still cost 2 shillings each, and those who want the best pay this 

 price without demur, while other brands may be obtained as 

 low as 1 shilling. A good many of the cheaper balls, it should 

 be mentioned, are "re-made," it being a common thing for play- 

 ers to sell their worn balls to the professionals, who put on a 

 new gutta-percha cover and resell at is. to is. 46. each. 



RUBBER HEELS IN ENGLAND. 



AT the late International Shoe and Leather Fair, in London, 

 rubber products were even more prominent than in former 

 years at this important show. There were no less than 27 dis- 

 tinctively rubber exhibits, of which 21 were made by manufac- 

 turers of rubber heel pads. Almost without exception these 

 displays embraced heels of the revolving type, though not con- 

 fined to these alone. The popularity of the revolving rubber 

 heel in Great Britain was dealt with at length in The India 

 Rubber World May i, 1904 (page 278), since which time the 

 number of manufacturers has increased, there has been a con- 

 stant addition to the patents in this field, and the volume of 

 trade appears larger. ' The various exhibits also embraced rub- 

 ber soles and other footwear accessories. 



The India Rubber, Gutta-Percha and Telegraph Works Co., 

 Limited, who had been making rubber heels for the trade for 

 years, appeared as manufacturers of rubber heels under their 

 own name, and made an extensive and varied exhibit. 



Another concern, concerned hitherto with other lines of pro- 

 duction, who appeared this season for the first time as heel 

 makers, was Wallington, Weston & Co., the tire manufacturers 

 of Frome. 



The rubber exhibits were not confined to heels and soles, how- 

 ever. The North British Rubber Co., Limited, had a very com- 

 plete display of rubber boots and shoes, and distributed as 

 souvenirs miniature rubbers such as have been used as ad- 

 vertising novelties by some of the American manufacturers in 

 this branch. 



Asbest- und Gummiwerke Alfred Calmon, A.-G., of Hamburg, 

 exhibited rubber boots and shoes, gymnasium shoes, and Chinese 

 patterns. 



Canada was represented by the British agency for the Maple 

 Leaf Rubber Co., of Port Dalhousie, Ontario. 



Several American brands of rubber footwear, including the 

 "Boston" and "Candee," were exhibited by the United States 

 Boot, Shoe and Rubber Co., of Goswell road, London. 



The products of the Hood Rubber Co. (Boston) were shown 

 by their European agents, C. W. Randall & Co., in London. 



One American make of heels was exhibited — the "Penna" 

 goods, marketed by Howison & Co., of London. 



"Aerolite" Tennis Shoe. 



A line of exhibits deserving special mention as novelties em- 

 braced pneumatic heels and soles. In this department was the 

 display of "Aerolite," Limited, of Leicester. Their list included 

 pneumatic tennis soles, of different patterns; pneumatic golf, 

 hockey, and shooting soles ; pneumatic full heels and tips ; pneu- 

 matic revolving heels ; and pneumatic soles and heels for light 

 walking boots. The "Aerolite" goods have proved very popular 

 among tennis players, golfers, and climbers. They are reported 

 to have a good sale on the continent as well as in Britain. The 

 illustration shows one of the patterns of the "Aerolite" tennis 

 sole. 



American Leather Goods and the Fair. 



Some English trade journals emphasize the absence of Ameri- 

 can exhibits of leather footwear at the Shoe and Leather Fair 

 as indicating that there is less reason to fear an "American 

 shoe invasion" than some writers would have the public think. 

 Whether the measure of success of manufacturers in marketing 

 their products in Great Britain had any influence in determining 

 their attitude toward the Fair, it is impossible for us to say. 

 Official figures, however, would indicate that, while the total 

 exports of leather footwear from the United States are increas- 

 ing — and the exports to Europe as a whole are growing — there 

 is a decreasing demand for such goods in Great Britain. The 

 figures here are for fiscal years ended June 30: 



Destination. 1901-02. 1902-03. 1903-04. 1904-05. 1905-06. 

 Total cxports.$6,i82,o98 $6,665,017 $7,238,940 $8,057,697 $9,142,748 

 To Europe . . 2,389,905 2,672,629 2,447,368 2,472.6aS 2,591,144 

 To England . 2,013,890 2,128,958 1,868,894 1,943,845 1,862,747 

 It will be seen that whereas Great Britain, five years ago, 

 bought 32 per cent, of the American exports of leather foot- 

 wear, the percentage was only 20 in the last year for which 

 details are available. Meanwhile the sale of such goods is in- 

 creasing in Germany. Like conditions apply to the American 

 rubber footwear trade — an increase in the total, with a falling 

 off in the British demand. 



