THE PRINCIPAL RUBBER DISTRICTS 37 



expenditure for the purchase of large stores of provisions 

 to maintain the labourers for many months, until fresh 

 supplies can be forwarded by merchants at Manaos or 

 Para, this obligation constituting a serious considera- 

 tion at the present critical stage of the rubber industry. 



In former years the difficulties of reaching this terri- 

 tory from the Atlantic seaboard induced the despatch 

 of large expeditions from the Pacific slopes of Bolivia 

 and Peru for rubber-collecting purposes. It was from 

 this custom the idea arose that the Amazon Valley 

 rubber was obtained by organizing such expeditions to 

 work the great forest areas situated to the east of the 

 Andine ranges. For the past fifteen years these methods 

 have been abandoned as unnecessary and unprofitable, 

 and the only semblance remaining of the practice is the 

 occasional recruiting of gangs of labourers in Bolivia 

 and Peru to work on the rubber-producing properties 

 of the Acre and other similarly-situated districts. 



The Acre territory has been the scene of much inter- 

 national intrigue during recent years. It was claimed 

 by Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru, and only after these 

 countries had been brought to the verge of war was the 

 dispute concerning its ownership submitted to arbitra- 

 tion. In the end the greater portion of these districts 

 was awarded to Brazil. While this international 

 question was pending local politics became disturbed, 

 and a movement set afoot by a Colonel Galvez ended 

 by proclaiming the territory an independent republic. 

 This occurred in 1903, and for some two years subse- 

 quently disturbed conditions prevailed, and it was not 

 until a military expedition was sent from Rio de Janeiro 

 by the Federal Government that order was restored 



