196 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January 1, 1916. 



regard to the seams, the overlap being one-quarter inch as com- 

 pared with the customary one-half inch of the British makes. 

 A point to which considerable importance is attached in the 

 hospitals is the fitting of the stopper with a small washer, this 

 having frequently been overlooked in the past. To refer to a 

 matter of history. I may say that the interruption of the British 

 business was due to a legal action a few years ago, when the 

 chemist who sold a defective hot-water bottle was mulcted in 

 damages resulting from its bursting when in use. 

 TRE^•CH CAPES AND STOCKINGS. 

 Trench capes are in considerable demand from the men at the 

 front. The garment may be described as a general utility article 

 that a man in the trenches would be likely to find handy. Be- 

 sides being a good waterproof cape, it can be made to serve 

 as a waterproof sleeping bag, a ground sheet, and a supplementary 

 kit bag or "hold-all." Large numbers have been ordered by 

 the government and issued to the men, but many requests are 

 ))eing made by the men to their friends at home to send them a 

 "trench cape" and there is consequently a large demand for 

 them. Leg boots are being sent out in large numbers on the 

 same plan, and Charles Macintosh & Co., Limited, are making 

 a waterproof stocking for the protection of the soldier in the 

 wet trenches, to sell at 14j. 6d. per pair. 



RUBBER ERASERS AND STAMPS. 

 German compulsory withdrawal from the rubber eraser busi- 

 ness has furnished an opportunity to British firms, who have 

 not been slow in stepping into the breach. One concern, the 

 IMountford Rubber Co., Birmingham, has introduced a triple- 

 layer eraser in red. white and blue rubber, the patriotic colors 

 greatly encouraging to the sales. 



Rubber stamp manufacturers also have not been backward 

 in taking advantage of the war situation. "War emergency 

 stamps" in infinite variety have been turned out, which some 

 day may have special value to the collector of "curios." Here are 

 some of the legends borne by standard stamps, impressions of 

 which are becoming common on business documents : "This 

 quotation is not binding" ; "Business as usual" ; "Do please help 

 us and remit by return" ; "The crisis has hit us hard" ; "Owing 

 to the present circumstances, we cannot commit ourselves in 

 any way" ; etc., etc. 



NEW WORKS. 

 The ci:)mpany which has for some time been exploiting the 

 John Bull tire, which has been manufactured at various rubber 

 works, has now started manufacturing on its own account. The 

 works are known as the Leicester Rubber Co., of the Granby 

 Rubber Works, Post Office Place, Leicester. H. H. Burton is 

 the managing director and Mr. McGhee the manager. The 

 machinery, which is new throughout, is electrically driven. A 

 sort of tram tire used for hand trucks is one of the specialties 

 of the company. • 



PERSONAL MENTION. 

 J. Martindale Davies. late works manager of the New^ Liver- 

 pool Rubber Co., Limited, has now taken up a position at the 

 works of J. Lyne Hancock, Limited, Goswell Road, London. 



Lieutenant-Colonel Fallows, of the Leyland & Birmingham 

 Rubber Co., who was killed at the Dardanelles, has l)een accorded 

 the posthumous honor of being mentioned in dispatches by 

 General Sir Ian Hamilton. 



Sir Frederick Smith. Baronet, chairman of Charles Macintosh 

 & Co., Limited, has been appointed to represent rubber and 

 Ijanking on the Manchester Recruiting .\ppeals Tribunal. This 

 body has the duty of deciding inter alia as to which men are to 

 lie considered as indispensable for the carrying on of lionie in- 

 dustries during the war. 



UNITED STATES ENGLAND'S BEST RUBBER CUSTOMER. 



At a recent annual meeting of an Fnglish rubber plantation 

 company, the chairman gave some interesting details concerning 

 the e.xport of rubber from the United Kingdom, together with its 

 approximate value. On this point he spoke as follows : 



It is perhaps not generally recognized what an important 

 factor rubber is in our exports to America and in assisting 

 to adjust the exchange with that country at the present time. 

 The amount of rubber exported from the United Kingdom 

 to the United States last year amounted to nearly eight 

 millions sterling, and if that going direct from the Middle 

 East is added, the total reaches between ten and eleven mil- 

 lions. In the first case it represents about one-sixth and in 

 the latter one-fifth of tlie total exports from this coun- 

 try to the United States. Rubber is two and a half times the 

 value of any other item in the list of our exports to America, 

 and occupies the fourth place in value among the imports 

 of the United States from the whole world. Probably about 

 70 millions of British capital is invested in the rubber indus- 

 try in the Middle East, and although at the present time not 

 more than about half of this large capital outlay is produc- 

 tive, it will return for the present year produce of the value 

 of from 18 to 20 millions sterling. The development of the 

 plantation rubber industry and the investment of this capital 

 in the Middle East has also enabled this country and our 

 Allies to have at their disposal and under their control by 

 far the largest part of the world's supply of one of the things 

 essential for carrying on the present struggle. The past 

 year has served to place the industry in a still stronger 

 position. 



RUBBER GROWERS' ASSOCIATION, INC., EXTENDS ITS SPHERE OF 

 OPERATIONS. 



At an extraordinary general meeting of the Rubber Growers' 

 Association, Inc., held in London recently, provisions were made 

 for certain alterations in the memorandum and articles of asso- 

 ciation that will result in an important addition to the scope of 

 the association's activity. The Malaya and Ceylon research 

 funds — the former in existence for six, the latter for five years — 

 have hitherto been administered by firms who guaranteed the 

 funds. While the entire body of members profited by the research 

 w-ork, the onus of maintaining and directing it rested upon a 

 comparatively small number, an association as it were, within 

 the parent body. It was proposed to remedy this condition by 

 arnalgamating the research fund with the association, readjusting 

 the subscriptions so that they will cover the funds. The resolu- 

 tions were adopted unanimously, without discussion. 



By these changes in the memorandum of association power is 

 taken to engage in research and experimental work in connection 

 with the cultivation and manufacture of rubber and rubber goods ; 

 to distribute among the public information as to the possible uses 

 of rubber; to collect and circulate statistics and other informa- 

 tion ; to improve the technical knowledge of persons engaged in 

 the industry by means of lectures, classes, examinations and 

 scholarships ; to form a museum and library, and to establish 

 or contribute to any benevolent fund for the assistance of persons 

 engaged in the industry. 



The new Z'A-ton commercial car built by the Wells Motors, 

 Limited. England, has many interesting features. One in 

 particular is that rubber-iinpregnated canvas is used for the 

 universal joint. 



Republic Rubber Co., Limited, has been registered with a cap- 

 ital of f25,O0O [$121,662] to manufacture and sell at wholesale 

 solid and pneumatic tires of all kinds, mechanical goods, cables, 

 etc. The capital is issued in shares of £1 [$4.86] each. The 

 office of the company, of which E. A. Gleich is a director, is at 

 5 Giltspur street, London, E. C. 



Campbell. Achnach & Co., manufacturer of waterproof and 

 india rubber goods, Glasgow, Scotland, has had plans prepared 

 for additions made necessary by the growth of business. 



The official receiver of the Margetts British Sectional Tire 

 Co., against which a compulsory winding-up order was issued 

 on July 13, reports total liabilities of £9,346 [$4S,4S2], assets 

 nil. The company was organized to manufacture a sectional tire, 

 for the patents, rights, etc., of which it agreed to pay £169,000 

 [$822,438], and a royalty of 6 pence [12 cents] on each section 

 or "cuff" of tire sold. 



