1838.] Report on the Caoutchouc Tree. 141 



they are so certainly, if we look to the modus operandi proposed by 

 Dr. Anderson. 



But if we look to the late improvements by which this substance is 

 rendered tolerably manageable, we can scarcely imagine any limit to its 

 sphere of usefulness. If it be limited, it will be owing to the fact that 

 the supplies cannot meet the demand. It is well known that the de- 

 mand for this article has called into existence the London Caoutchouc 

 Company, and their attention appears to have been directed towards India 

 by Mr. Royle (to whom this empire will very probably be under very 

 great obligations) and to Assam in particular by Professor Selden. 

 It is much to be wished that all communications regarding new products 

 of value should be very explicit, for it is but seldom that in this country 

 opinions of value are to be obtained. The plan recommended by the 

 caoutchouc committee, viz. ; that of forming the caoutchouc into bottles 

 is perhaps the worst that could be recommended : it is bad from its great 

 tediousness and laboriousness, bad from its causing the blackening of 

 the caoutchouc, and bad from its not obviating the viscidity of this when 

 exposed to the sun. And it may reasonably be asked of what possible 

 use the form of bottles can be when the bottle is not meant to hold a 

 solution but to become one*. 



It is much to be regretted that the handsome premium proposed by 

 this company should have been limited to caoutchouc prepared in the 

 South American manner : the premium should have been open to any 

 form of manufacture and limited only with reference to quality. The 

 same plan has of course been followed by the Agri- Horticultural Society 

 of Calcutta, with this difference that the reward is much smaller, indeed 

 ridiculously so, when compared to the extravagant rewards allotted to 

 other products of comparatively no value and in many cases of rather 

 visionary attainment. In all such cases, Societies would do well to 

 proportion the amount of rewards to the amount of value. I am not 

 aware whether the juice itself is in demand : this is certain however, that 

 with slight precautions it will keep for a very long time. 



The presence of petroleum in abundance along the southern boundary 

 of the valley may possibly suggest another mode of exportation, but 

 there are it appears to me considerable objections to the exportation of 

 this valuable substance in any other form than that now practised. In 

 conclusion I would beg to apologize for the very imperfect nature of this 

 report, but my means of observation have been limited, and the stock of 



* The uselessness of the plan alluded to at once struck both Lieutenant 

 Vetch and Mr. Scott, who were led to pay attention to the caoutchouc from 

 the caoutchouc company's circular, 

 u 



