August 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



677 



residency is practically overrun by surveyors and prospectors. 



Rubber is the chief product, and of the three principal com- 

 panies, the Sumatra Caoutchouc Plantage Maatschappij is the 

 most important, having five estates of which the largest, Batang 

 Toroe, is the finest in all Tapanoeli. The factory is worked by 

 steam. There is an up-to-date central hospital with separate 

 wards for infectious diseases and directed by a European doctor. 

 Both here and on another of the company's estates are com- 

 fortable clubs much frequented by neighboring planters. 



The Rotterdam Tapanoeli Cultuur Maatscliappij began with 

 a capital of 2,000.000 gilders [$800,000]. In 1915, the production 

 of rubber from this estate was 313,027 pounds. Here, too, there 

 is a club, a good hospital and a motion picture theater. The 

 factory is run by electricity and, like all other buildings and 

 houses on the estate, is electrically lighted. 



Almost all companies employ contract coolies from Java, and 

 medical aid, hospitals and proper sanitation are amply pro- 

 vided. The various planters have formed an association which 

 works for the general good of the district. 



The center of all this is the little town of Batang Toroe, 

 whence the rubber and other products of the neighborhood are 

 forwarded by automobile trucks to the seaport, Sibolga, for 

 export. There is also a government automobile service run- 

 ning between the port and Padang Sidempoean, which touches 

 Batang Toroe, and there are very definite plans for connecting 

 the latter place with Sibolga by rail. All indications point towards 

 the future importance of Batang Toroe and to the significance 

 of Tapanoeli as a rubber-producing country. 



NATIVE PLANTATIONS. 



Urged by the government to develop the cultivation of rubber, 

 the natives of Djambi and Palembang, Sumatra, began planting 

 rubber trees with more zeal than knowledge. Consequently, the 

 native holdings are generally miserable sights. Trees having a 

 girth of barely 15 cm. at a height of one meter are tapped with 

 appalling frequency. At present native rubber sells from IS to 

 20 per cent below European rubber and there is reason to expect 

 that unless something is done in time, this difference will increase. 

 It appears that steps are being taken to remedy the condition by 

 appointing European inspectors and instructors, but it is feared 

 that by the time such corrective measures will have actually 

 been put in practice it will be too late. Meanwhile, about 4,000,000 

 trees have been planted by natives in Palembang, and according 

 to authorities, 50 per cent may, with proper care, reach the 

 bearing stage and for years to come will yield about two pounds 

 of rubber per tree. 



RUBBER IN EAST JAVA. 



The cultivation of Hevca is progressing steadily and trees are 

 rapidly coming into bearing condition. The following figures 

 obtained from one estate illustrate this : Tlie area of the estate 

 is 25,000 acres ; at the beginning of 1915, a yield of 1,557,317 

 pounds of rubber was obtained from 435,039 trees and at the 

 end of 1916, the production from 964,045 trees was 3,375,147. 

 pounds. For both years the average per tree was about 35^ 

 pounds. 



According to reports from Wlingi, abnormally heavy rainfalls 

 are interfering with tapping and much anxiety is felt concern- 

 ing the rubber yield. 



RUBBER COMPANIES. 



The fusion of five rubber companies is announced, namely, 

 the Bajan Sumatra Rubber Co., the Langsar Sumatra Rubber 

 Co., the Plantation Co. Dolok Marangir, the .Rotterdam Langkat 

 Rubber Co., and the Rotterdam Deli Hevea, Limited. The new 

 company thus formed is known as the N. V. Vereenigde Indische 

 Cultuur Ondernemingen, and has a capital of 10,000,000 florins 

 [$4,000,000]. 



The Lampong Sumatra Rubber Co., lately founded and hav- 

 ing a capital of 900,000 florins [$360,000], has taken possession 

 of all the property of the N. V'. Lampong Caoutchouc Co. 



The issued capital of the Bandar Sumatra Rubbur Co. has 

 been increased by 500,000 florins [$200,000], so that at present 

 it amounts to 1,100.000 florins [$640,000]. Tlie authorized capital, 

 2,500,000 florins, [$1,000,000], remains unchanged. 



The Amsterdam Java Rubber Co. has reduced its authorized 

 capital to 300,000 florins [$120,000], while 300,000 florins new capi- 

 tal has been issued. 



A NEW DUTCH TRANSPACIFIC STEAMSHIP LINE. 

 Two large Dutch steamship companies, the Netlierlands Royal 

 Mail Line and the Rotterdam Lloyd, have combined to run 

 a semi-monthly passenger and cargo service from Batavia to San 

 Francisco with Singapore, Hong Kong, Nagasaki, Yokohama and , 

 Honolulu as ports of call. The vessels to be employed, which 

 Clumber eight, are large ocean-going steamers, most of which 

 ha\e hitherto been running between Batavia and Rotterdam, via 

 Suez, and they will make the trip from Yokohama to San Fran- 

 cisco in about 17 days. 



T.\ppiNG ON One of the Su^r.\TR.\ Pl-\nt.\tions of the Gener.\l 

 Rubber Co. 



It appears that for some time at least there is little likelihood 

 of cargo being accepted from Japan, as all available space will 

 have been booked in Java and Singapore. The rate from Japan 

 to Java will be 22 yen* per ton. Cargo from Yokohama has 

 hitherto been transhipped at Kol)e, and thus costs 3 yen more 

 (or 25 yen in all) per ton than cargo from Kobe. The rate by 

 the Japanese subsidized lines is about 14 yen per ton. 



DUTCH PLANTATION COMPANIES INCRE.VSE CAPITAL. 

 Two companies in Dutch East Indies have recently increased 

 their capital. The Javasche Cultuur Maatschappij to 5,000,000 

 florins; the Nederlandsche Gutta Percha Maatschappij is offer- 

 ing its shareholders the opportunity of subscribing for addi- 

 tional shares to the amount of 300,000 florins, and the Amster- 

 dam-Tapanoeli Rubber Cultuur has under consideration the 

 doubling of its capital to 2.000,000 florins. 



PRODUCTION OF GUTTA HANGKANC. 



The latest statistics for Gutta Hangkang show that the pro- 

 duction for the year 1916 amounted to 2,296 tons, as againsf 

 2,466 tons in 1915 and 1,905 tons in 1914. 



This product is obtained exclusively in Borneo and is exported 

 chiefly to Singapore where the bulk is purchased by America. 

 JAPANESE, CIUNESE AND GERMAN BANKS.' 



The "Indische Mercuur" questions whether those banks which 

 liave continually increased their capital will be able to invest 

 large sums profitably after the war. The fact that Japanese 

 merchants are settling more and more, and that the position of 

 the Japanese and Chinese banks will consequently be strengthened, 



•Yen = 2s. d'Ad. 



