MUSK. 397 



of a whole host of inferior and made-np preparations of musk, bar 

 the way to any important improvement of the Musk trade. 

 Nevertheless it is expected that the European and American 

 markets will continue in the future to draw their annual 

 requirements of between loOO and 2000 caddies of musk from 

 China." 



" The chief interest of the Musk trade has lately been centered in 

 Paris, which has rendered itself independent of the London market, 

 by means of direct imports. Xext to Paris and London, Xew York 

 is also of some importance as an independent market.* The most 

 saleable variety, and the one which enters almost exclusively into 

 consideration so far as the European and American export trade 

 is concerned, is the Tonquin Musk from Sze-chuen and Thibet. 

 The cheaper kinds of musk from Yunnan, and of Carbadine musk, 

 which is imported here (Shanghai) from Manchuria and Siberia, 

 via Tientsin and Niu-Chwang, are chiefly used to supply the Chinese 

 and Japanese requirements." 



" The Musk business in China is exclusively in German hands." 

 Tonquin Musk is often adulterated (i.e., lowered in quality and 

 value) by the admixture of the welbknown Assam variety, which 

 is imported direct from Calcutta, in the grained state, in glass 

 bottles. This variety is worth something like 3os. per oz. It is 

 of weak flavour, and, in parts, has a repulsive odour of decomposed 

 blood. With 70 per cent, of alcohol it yields a reddish tincture, 

 whereas the tincture of genuine Tonquin Musk is of a dark-brown 

 colour. 



Vol. I. p. 9. 



Musk "substitutes." Baur's second English Patent, No. 

 13613, dated 11th August, 1891, is described in the Specification 

 as consisting of " a trinitro-derivative of a butylated meta- 

 substituted phenol ether. By way of example, a mixture of methyl 

 ether of meta-cresol and iso- or pseudo-butyl chloride is heated 

 with aluminium chloride on the water-bath until no more hydro- 

 chloric acid is evolved. The product is poured into water, distilled 

 with steam, and the butylated cresol ether isolated by fractional 

 distillation. The ether is nitrated by introducing it gradually into 



* And so is Germany, but the Consul omits to state it. 



