November 1, 1VI4.| 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



107 



THE WAR AND THE RUBBER AND BALATA IN- 

 DUSTRIES OF DUTCH GUIANA. 

 By Our Regular Correspondent. 

 IN the September number of The India Rubber World mention 

 *■ was made of a company being formed in Paris fur the pur- 

 posi of operating certain wild rubber tracts situated in the Para 

 district, Dutch Guiana. The capital subscribed was frcs. 5,000,- 

 000, or $1,000,000, which would have paid the owners of the 

 lands Md left a considerable working capital. 



livery arrangement was made for beginning operations, an 

 expert was sen' "in to Dutch Guiana to examine and tak< ovei 

 the concessions, when, all of a sudden, the accursed Eun 

 war broke out, and a sudden stop to the whole business was 

 tlie consequence. These concessions are again in the market, 

 arid this time, we understand, can be had for considerably less 

 than the amount subscribed by the French concern. We have 

 been informed on good authority that no reasonabli offer will 

 be refused by tlie proprietors of these lands. This is undoubtedly 

 an opportunity for American capitalists on the lookout for good 

 bargains. 



The war has had a very bad effect on local industries, and the 

 balata industry has especially fallen a victim to the conse- 

 quences of this terrible conflict. The entire community, w i;b 

 very few exceptions, is suffering for want of employment anil the 

 means of earning a living. The balata industry alone employed 

 about 5,000 men continuously, and now that the business is 

 Stopped, they and their families are thrown on the streets to 

 beg for bread. 



How long this state of affairs may last is hard to say, but 

 we understand the government has decided to open up some sort 

 of relief work whereby the natives, at least, may earn a little 

 money. A great many British subjects have been granted free 

 passage by the government, and have returned to British Guiana, 



of balata which cannot b< shipped away. In the bush many 

 bleeders have also thousands oi pounds stowed away. To bring 

 it into town would be useless; it cannot be sold, not even at 

 25 American cents per pound. The large companies, with head 

 s in Holland, cannot obtain money to finance their enter- 

 es; dissatisfaction prevails, and a general smash-up stares 

 the balata industry in tin face. although Hutch Guiana is 

 situated thousands of miles away from the seat of war. the 

 distress and stagnation of business is most alarming. 



We predicted in previous correspondence that 1914 would be 

 .i recoi and, although unforeseen circumstances 



have since taken place, the production from January to August 

 31 reached 600,000 kilograms. At the outbreak of the war the 

 production for the year stood at 482,363 kilograms, when the 

 n was at its height. All operations , suddenly 



stopped, and the bleeders taken off the grants. Had circum- 

 stances been normal our prediction would certainly have been 

 fulfilled. It was anticipated in balata circles at Paramaribo that 

 the United States market would have taken the bulk of the 

 pr iduction. Owing to the European ports being closed the 

 prices quoted in New York were so ridiculously low that the 

 exportation of all balata was naturally checked, and in conse- 

 quence the markets of Hutch Guiana are overstocked with the 

 product. We think American manufacturers would do well to 

 try the Surinam product at this time: we are convinced good 

 bargains are easily obtained, especially when ready cash is in 

 such great demand in the colony. 



The new regulation governing the industry passed its final 

 reading in the local parliament, and is now law. It certainly is 

 most unfortunate that just as these new laws came into force 

 the European war should break out and the whole business be 

 helved for an indefinite period. There is no capital to it 

 in large tracts, and cessation is the order of the day on all 

 balata undertakii 



Enterprising Americans can now buy all the balata they re- 

 quire, and pile it up against the advent of high prices. With a 

 fair amount of ready cash on hand several hundred tons of sheet 

 could be purchased at ridiculously low figures. 



In the Flrest Among the Batata Trees, Surinam. 



where conditions are said to lie better. Great fear is entertained 

 that should the war last very much longer the balata industry 

 will be entirely ruined. The warehouses of the various conces- 

 sionaries — in Paramaribo — are stocked with thousands of pounds 



BRAZILIAN NOTES. 



At a recent session of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, a 

 credit of $100,000 was voted for the preliminary surveys con- 

 nected with the Santa Catbarina Railway. The sum of $450,000 

 was likewise approved for the removal of obstructions from the 

 rivers Acaqui, Guapy and Guascimbola. 



Brazilian imports for the first half of 1913 equaled $205,419,960, 

 w hile those for the corresponding period of this year only rep- 

 n seined $134,185,085. 



Export statistics for the same period of the two years showed, 

 respectively, the equivalents of $158,038,030 and $153,873,190. 



The Brazilian press calls attention to the balance of interna- 

 tional trade being in favor of Brazil, for the first six months 

 of 1914. 



Following up previous announcements, De Lagotellerie & Co. 

 have given notice of the temporary closing of their Para office, as 

 a result of the European complications. They request that 

 all communications be addressed to Caixa Postal, 31a Manaos. 



The British consul at Rio was lately advised by cable that his 

 rnment had sent three warships to the Gulf of Mexico for 

 the protection of cotton and kerosene cargoes. 



In consequence of changes in administration, twenty-two mem- 

 bers of the staff of the Madeira-Mamore Railway lately returned 

 to the United States. 



Brazilian statistics show the rubber exports for the first half 

 of 1914 to have represented 66,225,308 paper milreis ($22,075,102), 

 as compared with 99,977,497 milreis ($33,325,832) for the corre- 

 sponding period of 1913. 



