102 



[August, 1912. 



synthetic rubber cannot yield the five 

 carbon atoms present in the molecule of 

 natural rubber. That does not prevent 

 them from yielding a homologous sub- 

 stance which may have very valuable 

 rubber qualities. Even when the five 

 atoms are present it does not follow that 

 they are combined in precisely the same 

 way as in natural rubber. It is common 

 to find two very different substances 

 composed of exactly the same elements 

 in exactly the same proportions. They 

 differ in structure, It is also common to 



FIND MINUTE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES 



in what seems to be the same substance — 

 albumen for example — coming from 

 different sources. Broadly speaking, the 

 samples are all albumen, but in special 

 conditions they behave differently. It 

 must be remembered that natural rubber 

 is not a single uniform and homogeneous 

 product. It comes from various plants, 

 and their different products are recog- 

 nized in the market as having different 

 properties, no doubt related to different 

 structure or composition. There is room 

 for different synthetic rubbers, which 

 may follow any one of different natural 

 types, or may differ for better or for 

 worse from them all. 



Assumption that a Cheaper Process 

 Possible. 



It may be assumed that a process much 

 cheaper than was previously known has 

 now been worked out. But whether it 

 is yet sufficiently cheap to compete with 

 the natural rubber at present prices, and 

 at the reduced pi ices which may be 

 expected in the future, is another ques- 

 tion altogether. The most careful antici- 

 patory estimates of cost are liable to be 

 greatly exceeded when the thing comes 

 to be worked. Nothing can absolutely 

 settle the question of cost, and therefore 

 of commercial success, except actual pro- 

 duction upon a considerable scale. The 

 situation as it stands is extremely inter- 

 esting, but is not devoid of a well-marked 

 element of speculation. From the great 

 advance already made chemists may, 

 however, draw encouragement to prose- 

 cute their researches still further, with a 

 view to securing yet greater cheapness 

 oi raw material. The ultimate victory 



will rest with the man who succeeds 

 in accomplishing some further simpli- 

 fication. 



SINHALESE LABOUR ON ESTATES. 



A correspondent, who desires to remain 

 anonyous, raises the following points, 

 which seem to us of sufficient import- 

 ance to merit serious discussion : — 



Can you give me any instances where 

 Sinhalese labour from distant villages 

 has on a large scale been induced to settle 

 down as a resident labour force on 

 Estates— Tea or Rubber — permanently 

 on the footing say, for instance, of 

 Tamils from the Coast ? 



Is there, in your opinion, any possibility 

 or prospect of obtaining such a resident 

 force of Sinhalese as a permanency for 

 large properties of 1000 acres or more ? 



If such is the case, or likely, what 

 possible safeguards are available to 

 prevent them from at any time abandon- 

 ing the Estate at a day's notice ? Can 

 they be bound as in the case of emigrant 

 labour ? Would it in fact be safe to rely 

 solely or chiefly on such a force ? 



[We do not know of any estate on a 

 large scale which is run entirely by 

 Sinhalese labour, although the number 

 of Sinhalese employed on estates in 

 supplement of the permanent Tamil force 

 is rapidly increasing. Such labourers we 

 believe generally work by the day 

 without any definite contract. Under 

 Section 7 et seq of Ordinance 11 of 1865 

 it would be possible to enter into a 

 written agreement with each labourer 

 separately, but this would scarcely be 

 feasible on a large scale. 



Personally we think that a great deal 

 might be done with Sinhalese labour in 

 certain districts by a tactful manager 

 who understands the ways of the native, 

 but to depend upon them entirely for 

 running a large estate would be a rather 

 hazardous proceeding under present 

 conditions»— Ed,] 



