102 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[November 1, 1914. 



automobiles, motor trucks and bicycles, as well as of surgical 

 articles, have been released by the military authorities. 



Many plants in Eastern Prussia have been destroyed by the 

 Ku>>iaii invading forces. What the ultimate salvage may be it is 



impossible to di iri 



ADVERTISING RUBBER CLOAKS AND SHOES. 



In spite of thi the reduced purchasing capacity of the 



general public. German manufacturers still anticipate fall di 

 mands for rubber cloaks and rubber shoes, encouraged by ad- 



vertising. This year, however, German g Is will be asked for 



in place of English cloaks and Russian shoes — the demand being 

 well within the capacity of the German industry. Preparations 

 were made in the early part of the year, and a scarcity of 

 goods is therefore not anticipated. The importance has been 

 Urged of manufacturers maintaining prices for German products 

 of standard quality, instead of diminishing the value of the 

 goods by cut prices. 



LIBERAL ACTION OF EMPLOYERS 



Every effort has been made to help the families of the workers 

 called to the front. In some cases the families of the married 

 men are drawing ftdl salaries, while in most cases half wages are 

 being paid. These payments are supplemented by contributions 

 from the factory benevolent funds and from private sources. In 

 the case of Traun & Sons, Hamburg, the factory fund had been 

 running 100 years. The plant of Philip Penin, Leipzig-Plage- 

 witz, has only dismissed a few hands, and has kept in nearly 

 full operation. 



DEATH OF A VETERAN GERMAN RUBBER MANUFACTURER. 



At the ripe age of 92. Privy Councillor Wilhelm Herz passed 

 away on September 28. He had been at the head of the well- 

 known Berlin rubber manufacturing firm, S. Herz, and his end 

 was a surprise to his many friends, who had been witnesses of 

 his activity up to within a fortnight of his death. His memory 

 will long be cherished as the Nestor of the German rubber in- 

 dustry. 



GERMAN CONTRACTS FOR FOREIGN RUBBER SHOES. 



In answering a correspondent who had asked the position of 

 contracts for St. Petersburg and Edinburgh rubber shoes, the 

 "Gummi-Zeitung" lately wrote that all purchases and contracts 

 in themselves remain in force notwithstanding war. but if the war 

 renders delivery impossible, buyers and sellers are released from 

 their obligations without having claims for compensation. 



Hamburg shipping agents are advertising steamer facilities to 

 oversea countries from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, 

 Stockholm and Goteborg. The "Hansa Alliance" has opened 

 an office at Stettin for the guidance of manufacturer- desirous 

 of shipping through neutral Scandinavian ports 



Among the large contributors to the German war loan is the 

 Continental Caoutchouc & (iutta Percha Co., of Hanover, which 

 has signed for nearly $50,000. 



AUSTRIAN PROHIBITION OF RUBBER IN TRANSIT. 



According to an Austrian ministerial ordinance of September 

 11. india rubber, gutta percha, balata (crude or purified, as well 

 as waste from those substances, and also rubber substitutes) are 

 included among the article- of which the export and transporta- 

 tion are prohibited. 



■•SEMPERIT" WORKS PROVIDING FOR FAMILIES OF WORKMEN CALLED 

 TO WAR. 



The "Semperit" Austro-American Rubber Works, of Vienna, 

 i- paying full salaries to the families of married workers called 

 to war. and to the representatives of unmarried workers a long 

 time in its service, while those of the workers who have been a 

 short time in its employment will draw half salaries. 



GERMAN RUBBER MEN SUPPOSED PRISONERS OF WAR. 



At the opening of the campaign, Messrs. Clar and Ten/, natives 

 of Germany, section managers at the Colonial rubber plant in 

 Ghent, ware taken prisoners. Not having been heard from since, 

 their friends arc becoming anxious regarding them. 



MINERAL LUBRICANTS SCARCE, 



The reduction of imports, in conjunction with the fact that the 

 government has taken possession of the stocks of lubricants, has 

 produced serious trouble. Prices have considerably advanced, 

 which is to the benefit of firms holding stocks. Imports of Rus- 

 sian oils have entirely ceased, which renders it necessary to have 

 recourse to the more extensive use of American oils, in some 

 cases mixed with vegetable oils. The oil business is the most 

 active in the technical branch, while rubber and asbestos are 

 relatively quiet. 



AN EDITOR BECOMES A LIEUTENANT. 



Dr. Karl Gottlob, chemist of the Farbenfabriken, formerly 

 Friedr. Bayer & Co.. Elberfeld. is an Austrian infantry lieutenant 

 in the present campaign. Dr. Gottlob is well known to the rubber 

 industry as the editor of the "Gummi-Kalender." 



ENGLISH RUBBER IMPORTS UN TONS) FOR MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. 



From— 1912. 1913. 1914. 



Straits Settlements tons 915 



Federated Matav States 600 



Ceylon 410 



French West Africa 77 



Gold Coast 27 



Brazil 1.034 



Peru 145 



Other countries 1,150 



5,913 



5,109 



Total, September 4,358 



Total for eight months to the end 

 of August 34,805 46,421 44,427 



Above figures are those of the English Board of Trade for the 

 month of September for the last three years, and show the falling 

 off in wild rubber, as well as the gain in plantation grades. 



RAINCOATS IN THE ENGLISH ARMY. 



There is vastly more fight in a dry soldier than there is in 

 a wet one, or at least in one who has been very wet for a 

 long time. Here are 

 illustrations showing 

 weatherproof garments 

 which are made both for 

 the British infantry and 

 cavalry. The first cut 

 -hows the service dress in 

 which the wearer, while 

 unencumbered by a long 

 coat, is still thoroughly 

 pri iin led fri iin inclement 

 weather. The other cut 

 sin iws a long raincoat com- 

 ing well below the knees, 

 being full in the shoulders 

 and sleeves ami having an 

 ample width of skirt so as 

 not to impede the wearer's 

 movements. [Burberrys, 

 Haymarket. London] 



FRENCH OPINION OF VALIDITY OF CONTRACTS. 



The Chamber of Commerce of Toulouse has officially pro- 

 nounced the opinion that war does not in itself annul contra, ts ; 

 only doing so in the event of business being brought to a stop. 

 Such is the general view of the French Chambers of Commerce, 

 .led on the opinions expressed by jurists after the war of 

 1870. 



