slightly  increased  prices.  The  demand  continued  to  improve  during 
December  for  all  the  better  grades,  and  rather  higher  rates  were 
paid  all  round. 
East  Coast  of  Africa  [Zanzibar  ^S^V.)  The  supplies  of  these  des- 
criptions have  continued  to  gradually  fall  off,  and  to  this  must  be 
ascribed  the  fact  that  at  the  close  red  hard  Pubber  is  only  id.  per 
lb.  lower,  but  white  and  common  Ball  Rubber  declined  about  46. 
per  lb.  Lamu  Ball  (Mombassa)  the  arrivals  were  not  important 
although  the  quality  was  fair  and  good  clean  Rubber  sold  fairly 
wellj  prices  however,  showing  a decline  of  2d.  for  the  year.  Nyas- 
saland  sent  us  very  good  Rubber,  but  the  consignment  were  small, 
and  when  they  reached  the  market,  were  bought  up  readily  at  fair 
to  full  prices.  Madagascar  supplies  were  again  on  the  decrease, 
and  have  only  been  about  half  of  what  they  were  last  year,  and 
values  were  consequently  well  maintained. 
Imports  from  Ceylon,  were  again  insignificant,  but  whatever 
small  quantity  reached  this  market,  if  proved  very  attractive,  as  the 
quality  and  condition  continued  to  be  excellent,  and  many  buyers 
were  anxious  to  secure  e'/en  the  small  arrivals,  owing  to  the  speci- 
ally clean  condition  of  this  Rubber.  We  confidently  expect  that  if 
larger  imports  could  be  arranged  a great  circle  of  consumers  would 
come  in  and  pay  full  prices  for  these  grades,  especially  if  the  quality 
be  kept  up.  It  would  be  advisable  to  encourage  the  planters  and 
others  interested  in  this  product  in  giving  particular  attention  to 
this  most  valuable  Rubber.  High  prices  were  realized,  and  3/9!^. 
was  recently  paid  for  line  and  2\\d.  for  the  Negroheads.  It  is  of 
course  known  that  this  Rubber  should  practically  be  of  the  same 
kind  as  the  one  coming  from  the  State  of  Amazonas,  being  grown 
from  Para  Seed. 
Rangoon  and  Penang  has  also  been  in  much  reduced  supply. 
Of  the  latter  description  we  practically  received  no  further  shipments 
this  year,  but  in  spite  of  this,  all  the  old  stocks  held  were  most 
difficult  of  sale,  and  what  was  disposed  of  showed  an  enormous 
decline  and  thus  Rubber  that  was  quoted  at  3s.  2d.  a little  more 
than  a year  ago  sold  at  about  2s.  2d.  to  2s.  5d.  per  lb.  according 
to  quality.  If  good  quality  of  these  descriptions  could  be  imported 
to  sell  at  present  rates,  it  is  certainly  worth  encouraging  as  with 
scarceness  of  good  Red,  Mozambique  Ball,  the  demand  for  these 
Red  Penang  kinds  would  again  grow  gradually. 
Small  quantities  of  Assam  were  shipped,  but  the  quality  was 
very  poor  and  sandy,  and  consequently  did  not  meet  with  any  re- 
quirement or  interest. 
Borneo.  Of  this  Rubber  the  supplies  have  not  been  excessive, 
but  in  sympathy  with  the  general  tendency  of  the  market,  prices 
declined.  These  grades  are  still  held  for  higher  prices,  and  with  a 
continuance  of  the  lower  quotations  all  round,  we  must  also  look 
for  much  reduced  values  in  these  grades  before  one  will  be  able  to 
effect  larger  sales.  Pontianak.  Supplies  were  about  the  same  as 
those  of  last  year  and  sold  readily,  prices  showing  very  little  change 
at  the  close  of  the  year. 
Rubber  from  French  Cochin-Chi na  and  from  Lower  China  have 
