November 1, 1916.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



101 



The India Rubber Trade in Great Britain. 



By a Special Correspondent. 



FROM information received from different sections of the 

 country it appears that the volume of general trade con- 

 tinues to be good, but pneumatic tire manufacturers re- 

 port a slack business. There is a constant turnover, but it is 

 stated that the restrictions on the use of petrol, or gasolene, as 

 you call it, have, in fact, seriously affected the tire trade. A great 

 number of automobiles are laid up in garages ; even commercial 

 cars in some cases have been idle for months, largely owing 

 to the prohibitive price of gasolene. 



RUBBER HELPS SOL\'E G.^SOLENE SHORTAGE. 



Many owners of commercial automobiles are now using city 

 gas instead of gasolene as a fuel for their motors. 



The use of gas as a fuel for automobile gasolene engines is 

 not new. for town gas has long been used by manufacturers 

 for the preliminary testing of their engines, though it will not 

 give the power of gasolene. 



The problem was to conveniently carry this city gas on ve- 

 hicles. At first it was attempted to store it in metal tanks, under 



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pressure, but these were found far too heavy for practical use 

 on motor trucks and, after many tests and experiments, the 

 accepted container now is a double texture canvas bag with 

 rubber insertion, rendering it water and gas tight. This is roped 

 or strapped to the roof of the vehicle and is filled from the 

 gas supply mains. Far from increasing the weight of the ve- 

 hicle, this rubber-lined gas-bag rather has a tendency to lighten 

 the load on the springs. 



SOLID TIRE BUSINESS GOOD. 

 While business is slack and competition very keen in the 

 pneumatic tire trade, the solid tire industry is working night and 

 day and there is unlimited faith here in this branch of the rub- 

 ber industry. 



MECH.ANIC.'\L RUBBER GOODS. 



Manufacturers of mechanical rubber goods are doing very 

 brisk business and there is no sign of slackness in this line in 

 the near future. 



Rubber toy and novelty manufacturers also report excellent 

 orders. 



The demand for rubber soles and heels is increasing every 

 day and large manufacturers in this line are well employed. 

 Some small ones, however, are said to be experiencing a trying 

 time, due to the fact that the withdrawal of laI)or from small 

 works is usually more seriously felt than similar withdrawal 

 from large factories. 



RECL.\IMING INDUSTRY. 

 Rubber reclaimers continue to suffer from the labor difficulties 

 mentioned in a former communication, but they are nevertheless 

 doing a roaring business and have troubje in promptly meeting 

 orders. 



WATERPROOF GARMENTS, ETC. 



The waterproof garment people are working full time and 

 overtime. They have received large government orders for 

 garments for the soldiers, who are sure to pass another winter ' 

 in the trenches, and the wet weather we have been experiencing 

 has made a great demand for waterproof garments, both rubber- 

 ized and chemically treated. 



Cable and insulated wire manufacturers have all the work 

 they can handle. 



Demands for all kinds of surgical rubber and other hospital 

 appliances are increasing daily. 



TIRE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION. 



The British Rubber Tyre Manufacturers' Association, Limited, 

 is the name of an organization recently formed "to watch over, 

 protect and advance" the interests of British tire manufac- 

 turers. 



To qualify for membership, a tire manufacturer must have his 

 [irincipal works in the United Kingdom and his tire sales must 

 lie to the extent of at least 90 per cent manufactured in Great 

 Britain. Companies whose capital is to the extent of 25 per 

 cent or more held, directly or indirectly, by individuals resident 

 outside the limits of the British Empire, will be barred from 

 membership. 



Dealers in rubber tires may become members of this associa- 

 tion provided the sale of tires is their principal business though, 

 even then, their admission to membership is discretionary with 

 the general committee of the association. Rubber manufacturers 

 whose works are situated in any British colony, dependency, or 

 self-governed dominion are also eligible for membership at the 

 discretion of the general committee. 



RUBBER MACHINERY NEEDED IN CHINA. 



From a recent report of our Board of Trade, it appears that 

 machinery will be required in the near future for the rubber 

 plantations in the island of Hainan, China. 



The Board of Trade tells us that there is an American merchant 

 at Kiung-chau, Hainan, China, and under existing conditions 

 it is probable that an American manufacturer will get the busi- 

 ness. 



RUBBER EXPORTS TO HOLLAND. 

 The Foreign Office has issued notification that no additional 

 export licenses or other facilities will be given for the export 

 from England of rubber and balata to Holland or Sweden until 

 further notice. 



CHANGES IN EMBARGO LIST. 

 The Royal Proclamation of May 10, giving a list of prohibited 

 exports, has been amended. The heading, "Goods wholly or 

 partly of rubber, gutta percha or balata," has been deleted from 

 the list of prohibition to all destinations, but has been added to 

 the list of prohibition of exportation to all non-British destina- 

 tions. 



NEW RUBBER IMPORTING COMPANY. 

 Ernest Gray & Co., Limited, was registered recently with a 

 capital of £1,000. in £1 shares, to carry on a general import 

 business in dentists' supplies, including dental rubbers and other 

 articles composed of rubber, porcelain or similar substances. 

 This new company's address is Cul-de-Sac Road, East Molesey, 

 England. 



