744 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[September 1, 1917. 



HOLLAND. 



The rubber exports from Anisterdam to the United States 

 during the past four years were $382,430 in 1913, $534,805 in 1914, 

 $98,960 in 1915, and $164,689 during 1916. Automobile imports 

 into Holland from this country during 1916 are said to have 

 been the highest on record. 



LONDON. 



The exports of rubber from London to the United States dur- 

 ing the six months ending June 30, 1917, amounted to $34,611,850. 

 For the same period in 1916 the value was $24,556,033. 



NXW ZEALAND. 



The following table gives the imports of rubber footwear for 

 the years 1914, 1915, and 1916 by country of origin, number of 

 dozen pairs, and value : 



1914. 1915. 1916. 



' * ■>(: * 'C * ^ 



Dozen Dozen Dozen 



pairc. Value, pairs. Value, pairs. Value. 

 Galoshes and overshoes of 

 rubber, g>'mnasium shoes, 

 etc: 



United Kingdom 24,167 $86,624 24,729 $86,667 21,492 $88,809 



Canada 3,160 22,746 2,690 17,695 3.069 19,408 



France 216 516 30 228 



Sweden 71 326 283 1,120 113 389 



Japan 18 29 116 418 736 2,151 



United States 2,850 17.807 2,406 15,014 1,546 9,426 



All other countries 100 418 10 39 80 116 



Totals 30.582 $128,466 30.264 $121,181 27,036 $120,329 



Gum boots: 



United Kingdom 223 $11,247 100 $5,270 56 $3,582 



Canada 360 11.688 309 8,755 285 8,730 



Australia 14 743 24 1,732 3 200 



United States 1,272 48,945 1,286 45,550 1,029 38,947 



All other countries 19 



Totals 1,869 $72,642 1,719 $61,307 1,373 $51,459 



SPAIN. 

 A great demand exists in the Barcelona district for rubber 

 heels and soles, about 10 tons having been imported during 1916. 

 The sizes of such heels which are in greatest demand for women's 

 shoes are those of medium dimensions, adapted to the Cuban 

 heel. The whole heel for men's shoes is not generally used, its 

 place being taken by the half heel, all sizes of which have an 

 excellent sale. Rubber soles are difficult to obtain at present, 

 but could be disposed of readily if more widely distributed. 

 These articles pay a duty of $0.32 per pound. 



THE SITUATION IN RUSSIA. 



By a Sfccia! Correspondent. 



THE war and the revolution are working changes in the Rus- 

 sian peasant's conception of comfort and luxury and of 

 what degree of each ought to fall to his share, that are as im- 

 portant — if less apparent — as his new attitude towards politics. 

 He has been taken out of his tiny village, brought to large towns, 

 made to work in factories, and, in any case, he now receives more 

 money than he ever dreamt of possessing. He has learned that 

 there are comforts, hygienic and sanitary, and is no longer satis- 

 fied with his village or town, where there are no tramways, 

 lighting-systems, baths, etc. And his demand for all these and 

 other things is going to cause the establishment of numerous 

 factories and the placing of vastly increased foreign orders. 

 Russia sees her backwardness and is striving mightily to ad- 

 vance. Conscious of her need of direction in this great effort, 

 she turns to America for help with the cry voiced by one of her 

 able men : 



Teach us the a-b-c's of sane and wholesome work, make us ef- 

 ficient in our efforts, show us the results of well applied labors, 

 and above all help us to erase that ancient self-verdict of the 

 Russians which says : "Our land is vast and fruitful but there is 

 no order in it." 



America's growing interest in Russia is well known, and lately 

 a circular was addressed to the different government departments 

 in Russia to ascertain their attitude concerning the question of 



the investment of foreign capital, and particularly American 

 capital, in Russian enterprises. Furthermore, the Russian-Ameri- 

 can Chamber of Commerce is sending Professor B. E. Shatzky 

 on a mission to the United States, to open a general information 

 bureau for the distribution of data in connection with economic 

 conditions in Russia. 



It is interesting to learn that America's exports to Russia for 

 1916 were practically six times as great as in 1914, and nearly 

 five times those of 1915. 



Among the exports for 1916 may be noted. 



Rubber belting, hose, etc $4,845 



Automobile tire? 1,125,733 



Other tires 28,313 



Miscellaneous rubber manufactures 20,416 



Insulated wire and cables 13,915 



Fountain pens 2,058 



Total $1,195,280 



The value of all kinds of motor vehicles imported from Amer- 

 ica was $18,749,186. This includes airplanes, commercial and 

 passenger automobiles and parts (except tires and engines) and 

 motorcycles. The amounts for 1914 and 1915 were $1,058,938 

 and $9,456,089, respectively. The business in rubber manufactures 

 during the same years was $22,891 and $12,616. 



Russia also buys large quantities of cotton. Upland (including 

 linters) and Sea Island. In 1916 the figures for Upland cotton 

 and linters were 86,724,722 pounds, valued at $10,125,462, and in 

 1915 41,062,654 pounds, valued at $4,218,116. 



THE DEMAND FOR CRUDE RUBBER. 

 The shortage of rubber is keenly felt in Russia and the de- 

 mand is increasing continually. Negotiations, however, are 

 hampered owing not only to shipping difficulties and freights, but 

 also to the very great difference in exchange. Russia has always 

 been a large consumer of rubber ; before 1914 she imported 

 9,000 tons of raw rubber and gutta percha, and despite the war 

 with its attending obstacles to trade, the imports were not di- 

 minished ; in fact, they were increased in the case of rubber 

 manufactures. And it is not likely that peace will lessen the 

 demand for either the crude or manufactured article. 



THE SITUATION IN MALAYA. 



By a Special Correspondent. 

 RUBBER PRODUCTION. 

 "T^HE total amount of rubber produced in the Malay Peninsula 

 •*• in 1916 falls just short of running into six figures, a de- 

 velopment amazing in its rapidity, as is well illustrated by the 

 following table : 



Production 

 in Malay 

 Year. Peninsula. 



Tons. 



1916 99.063 



1915 70,214 



1914 47,006 



1913 33,641 



1912 20,320 



1911 10,782 



Production 

 in Malay 

 Year. Peninsula. 



Tons. 



1910 6,504 



1909 3,340 



1908 1,629 



1907 885 



1906 430 



This total output is derived from the following parts of the 

 Peninsula : 



Production. 



1914. 



Selangor tons 14,015 



Perak 11,042 



5,358 



6,766 



5,278 



2,425 



1,030 



307 



362 



423 



Tohore 



Malacca 



Negri Sembilan 



Penang and Province Wellesley. 



Kedah 



Kelantan 



Pahang 



Singapore 



Trengganu 



Totals 47,006 



70,214 



99,063 



The rapid increase of Johore rubber is striking. Another fact 

 is that to-day's production of Singapore island alone exceeds that 

 of the total Peninsula eleven years ago, and that Selangor and 



