and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society.— Jan., 1910. 89 



A FRENCH VIEW OF RUBBER ; 



BY A FRANCO- AFRICAN AUTHORITY, 



".Plantation Rubber most Dominate 



the Position." 



(Specially translated for the Financier.) 



[In a recent interview with the representative of a Paris 

 contemporary Mr Engeringh, who is the administrator 

 Delegate of the Sultanats du Haut-Oubanghi (French 

 Congo) gave expression to some very interesting opinions 

 as to the present position of the rubber industry and 

 the future of plantation rubber. Mr. Engeringh, we need 

 scarcely add, from the position he holds is exceptionally 

 well placed to offer an opinion on the subject. He is 

 connected with several rubber plantations, but prior 

 to acquiring these interests he was for a long time 

 head of some of the pricipal Congo Companies. With 

 his experience, then, of both " wild " and cultivated 

 rubber his views on the outlook should prove of interest 

 to our readers.— Ed., F.] 



" What strikes me most in the present posi- 

 tion of rubber," said Mr. Engeringh, in reply 

 to the obvious question of his interviewer, is 

 that, in addition to the increase in the con- 

 sumption of the commodity reflected in the high 

 prices now ruling, there is a quasi-certainty 

 of a slow but very decided movement on the 

 part of the main rubber cultivation to migrate. 

 South America has been up to the present, 

 and still is, the great rubber producer. The 

 share of the Congo is not insignificant, but 

 it is negligible, amounting to 5,000 to 6,000 

 tons a year, compared with, roughly, 40,000 

 tons from South America. Therefore, it is 

 to South America that we must turn our 

 attention if we would study the production 

 of forest rubber and the gathering thereof. 

 Well, it appears to me that this harvest of the 

 forest is not likely to increase. Without seeking 

 to bring out technical reasons (which are, 

 however, of themselves very weighty), I will 

 confine myself to naming this one fact, which 

 appears to me to be the most tangible proof. 



Stationary South American Output. 



In spite of the great rise that the prices 

 of rubber experienced for two years — which 

 should have been a great stimulant to the 

 producers, as it assured them of large profits — 

 statistics demonstrate conclusively that the 

 production in the regions named has remained 

 stationary. Let us take the four past months — 

 July 1st to October 31st, 1909— that is to say, the 

 time when rubber reached its highest price. 

 The production in that period in the Govern- 

 ment of Para reached the level of 8,560 tons. 

 During the corresponding period of 1907, when 

 the price was 3s. less per pound, the production 

 was 8,480 tons — that is to say, practically the 

 same as this year. It is obvious, then, that if 

 more is not produced at this time, it is be- 

 cause it cannot be done. The temptation is 

 strong enough. The Government of Para, on 

 the other hand, is getting alarmed at the ex- 

 travagant production, which, it is feared, will 

 reduce the subsequent producing capacity of 

 the country. It is endeavouring to stop the 

 excessive tapping of the lianes [sic. This term 

 is usually applied to rubber creepers and not to 

 the Hevea trees of Para.— A. M. & J. F.] and so 

 to protect the future. 



" From the fact that this production does not 

 appear to grow, but rather to maintain itself 

 with considerable difficulty — and there is, be- 

 sides, the question of labour, which is always 

 rare and difficult to obtain in South America, 

 and is in many parts a very disquieting problem 

 —it is clear that the consumption, which con- 

 tinues to grow, must turn elsewhere for satis- 

 faction. On the other hand, it is natural that 

 the progress of consumption is much less than 

 it would be because of the high prices quoted, 

 which prevent the > employment of rubber in 

 many industries. In my opinion it would be 

 a great advantage if the price of rubber fell 

 to about 15 f. per kilogramme (5s. 5d. per lb.) 

 At this price the profits of the producers, par- 

 ticularly in the plantations, would be enormous, 

 aud the market would be unlimited. When the 

 price of rubber is more approachable, the con- 

 sumption will receive such an impetus that we 

 may be able to count on, I believe, an annual 

 increase of 10 per cent, Even if we only esti- 

 mate the advance at 5 per cent per annum, we 

 would have an increase of 50 per cent in 10 years, 

 which is not exaggerated. Everybody knows 

 that the uses to which rubber is put are in- 

 creasing in number constantly." Here Mr. 

 Engeringh quotes a number of applications of 

 rubber, actual and prospective, and proceeds : 

 " I am convinced that the consumption of rub- 

 ber will make enormous progress, and what is 

 not obtained from the exploitation of the forest 

 reserves of South America will be provided by 

 the rubber plantations. There is where its 

 future lies, and thus I am able to tell you that 

 its centre is going to change its geographical 

 position." 



"Synthetic" Rubber. 



" Have we anything to fear from the compe- 

 tition of 'synthetic' rubber?" asked the in- 

 terviewer. 



"No; I do not believe in it at all," said Mr. 

 Engeringh, "and I am not alone in my opi- 

 nion. This is also the opinion of M. van 

 Romburg, Professor of Organic Chemistry 

 in the University of Utrecht, formerly Di- 

 rector of the Botanical Gardens of Batavia. 

 All efforts in this direction by chemists have 

 been hitherto fruitless. Materials will probably 

 be found that will answer the description of 

 impermeableness, and may compete feebly 

 with rubber, but their influence will be insig- 

 nificant. As to finding a product that will 

 possess the same qualities as rubber, with its 

 essential characteristic elasticity, that appears 

 to be but a Utopian idea." 



Middle East Plantations. 

 "Plantations will increase," continued Mr. 

 Engeringh, in reply to a further query, "but 

 numbers of them will be disappointing." Pro- 

 ceeding to outline the conditions required for 

 their success, he found that the Middle East 

 presents ideal conditions for rubber cultivation, 

 and— an important point — there is plenty of 

 labour there. The populations in many parts 

 are already agricultural and industrious, and 

 quite adapted to plantation work. Further- 

 more, labour there is cheap. He then recounts 

 the progress of the plantations up to the pre- 

 sent (which part of his narrative we need not 



12 



