46 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



(October 1, ,1916. 



ing to take hold of the project and give it publicity? Could 

 you put us in touch with others who are interested and who 

 might be willing to join in the project? 



Yours truly. Pl.nxter. 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN BRITISH GUIANA. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



THE steady progress that is being made by the Consolidated 

 Rubber and Balata Estates, Limited, as revealed by the re- 

 port and the chairman's speech at the annual meeting held on 

 June 27 in London, should prove a source of gratification to all 

 who take wide views of the industrial situation in the Guianas. 

 The operations of this company play no small part in British 

 Guiana's commercial fortunes, and its progress is anxiously 

 watched by a larger circle than a mere collection of investors 

 looking for dividends, since the industry provides lucrative em- 

 ployment for a large portion of the laboring classes, and conse- 

 quently makes a useful contribution to the trade of this colony. 

 Therefore, the information contained in this report that the 

 company is each year acquiring a greater measure of stability is 

 exceedingly refreshing, when it is to be remembered the many 

 vicissitudes through which it has passed. For seven years has 

 it been in existence and not yet has the industry been sufficiently 

 prosperous to return a dividend to the ordinary shareholders, 

 and there are still a certain amount of arrears to pay off upon 

 the. preferred shares. But the company has passed through the 

 worst of its difficulties, and is now entering upon the profit- 

 earning stage, and its future, unless some very unfortunate 

 calamity occurs, will be roseate. 



In 1913 the profits amounted to $1,310 only; in 1914 to $59,890. 

 and in 1915 to $77,945. These profits are still only siifticient, 

 after applying $10,000 to reduction of preliminary expenses ac- 

 count and carrying forward $6,085, to pay a dividend of 5% per 

 cent on the 7 per cent preferred shares. But the improvement 

 in the company's position that has manifested itself recently is 

 of such a consistently upward nature as to leave very little room 

 for doubt that a prosperous future awaits the enterprise. Much 

 that has been achieved is due to the cautious and skilful manage- 

 ment of the local attorney, A. F. White, who, with so many 

 obstacles in the way. has landed the concern on a bed-rock 

 footing. 



The mill-stone of the balata companies which participated in 

 the boom of 1910-11— the cost of prospections— has practically 

 disappeared from the neck of the Consolidated, the cost of this 

 item being only $3,375 in 1915. against $22,770 in 1914, and $41,390 

 in 1913. This, as the chairman pointed out, is exceedingly satis- 

 factory. Still more encouraging is it to read that the prospective 

 collections for this year are even better than they were in 1915, 

 in which year they were quite good, and would have brought 

 handsome returns to the company, had the market been in a 

 more settled condition. The chairman stated that "already an 

 early spring crop of quite respectable dimensions has been gath- 

 ered ; in fact, a larger spring crop than we have ever succeeded 

 in securing before," and that all expeditions for the summer col- 

 lections had been sent out. "The prospects for this year are 

 satisfactory, and, given favorable weather — a factor of great im- 

 portance—we shall hope to obtain greater results which will 

 show continued progress for the company." 



Thanks to the Crown Lands Regulations at British Guiana, 

 the balata industry is not one that is likely to be killed out by 

 overworking it. for the health and life of the trees are safe- 

 guarded and insisted upon by the government, and providing the 

 regulations are observed, the industry will be maintained for 

 years. 



The most important part of the chairman's speech, however, 

 is that part which deals especially with the rubber industry. Mr. 

 Tayler spoke in figures that will come as a surprise to many, 

 especially to those who are accustomed to think of rubber grow- 



ing in these parts in very humble terms. On the Aruka planta- 

 tion 317 acres are under cultivation, and 20,000 trees arc planted. 

 The estate comprises 1,000 acres and it is being cleared and 

 planted year by year with Hevea BrasHicnsis. On the Koriabo 

 estate, 106 acres are planted, and on the Aliki and Wycarabee 

 estates 252 acres are planted. On the whole of the company's 

 rubber properties 60,000 trees are planted, of which about 20,000 

 are tappable this year, 30,000 in 1917 and 47,000 in 1918. The 

 production in 1915 was only 4,500 pounds, but most of the pre- 

 liminary work has now been undertaken, and the colony's rubber 

 exports should increase rapidly. 



In a quiet way the Consolidated company has laid the founda- 

 tions for a promising rubber industry for British Guiana, and 

 when in the years to come, rubber estates are dotted all over 

 British and Dutch Guiana, the sterling work of this pioneer com- 

 pany should not be forgotten. 



I am tired of preaching the possibilities of rubber in these 

 parts, and consequently am the more glad to welcome the prac- 

 tical demonstration that is now being given by the Consolidated. 

 This company is pursuing a sound financial policy, paying the 

 arrears of interest, and retaining as much capital as possible in 

 its possession to carry on the large schemes of development 

 which are just beginning to bear fruit. As the chairman said, 

 the directors, seeing the possibilities of British Guiana, are look- 

 ing far ahead, and there can be no doubt that they are laying 

 part of the foundations of the future prosperity of the colony. 

 For that reason alone, their progress should be watched by every 

 interested party with the keenest of sympathetic interest. 



ADDITIONAL SURTAX ON IMPOHTS INTO PARAGUAY. 



A law enacted February 17, 1916, provides that all articles 

 imported into Paraguay shall be subject to an additional surtax 

 of IH per cent ad valorem (based on official valuations pre- 

 scribed by the customs tariff), while on all exports an additional 

 surtax of 1 per cent ad valorem is to be imposed. 



REGISTRATION OF TRADEMARKS IN LATrN-AHEHIOAN COUNTRIES. 



The importance of early registration of trade-marks used in 

 ccimmerce with Latin-.American CdUiitries cannot l)e overlooked 

 by American rubber manufacturers. 



In 1915 the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, De- 

 ]iartment of Commerce, Washington, D. C, issued a report 

 describing briefly the formalities of registration, and also indi- 

 cating the offices to which applications should be directed, the 

 duration of protection, and the principal official fees. A revised 

 edition of this publication, which is entitled "Tariff Series No. 31, 

 Registration of Trade-Marks in Latin-Amerca," with corrections 

 to date, has been issued, and copies can be obtained upon appli- 

 cation to the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Wash- 

 ington. D. C, or its district offices. Information regarding 

 countries that are not covered by this publication may also be 

 obtained by addressing the Washington office of the Bureau. 



SCANTY YIELD FROM WEST INDIAN 8AF0DILLA. 



.\ttention has been drawn to the fact that the Sapodilla tree 

 ^Achras Sopotn) grown in the West Indies, although supposed 

 to be of the same species as that grown in Central America, 

 does not yield as freely as the latter. A thorough tapping of 

 a 20-year-oId tree 39 inches in girth at three feet from the 

 ground yielded 3J4 fluid ounces of latex, which gave IJ^ ounces 

 of chicle. This gum was submitted to one of the largest chew- 

 ing gum manufacturers in America, who stated that it could 

 be marketed to advantage here, but the low yield of the gum 

 us compared with that secured from Mexico and Central Amer- 

 ica renders it doubtful whether its collection would be profitable. 

 The chief value of the tree in the West Indies lies in its ex- 

 cellent fruit, which, it is said, might be still further improved 

 by careful selection experiments. [Report of the Agricultural 

 Department. Dominica, British West Indies. 1914-1915.] 



