and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society, 



49? 



at the establishment of Rubber Plantations in 

 the Island of Oeylon. We are thus now enabled 

 to look forward with confidence that there need 

 henceforth be no fear of their being insufficient 

 raw material for the ever growing wants of our 

 industry. For that industry, developed as it 

 has, with rapid strides, is ever developing, will 

 continue to develop, and will constantly extend 

 to fresh branches of trade and manufacture. 

 Consequently its wants will likewise be con- 

 stantly on the increase. That being so, the 

 system of establishing and fostering fresh plan- 

 tations wherever the soil and the climate are 

 suitable for the cultivation of rubber, should be 

 extended and promoted by all Governments. 

 The work should be approached with zeal and 

 alacrity ali the more because it is sure to pay. 

 Expressing my personal opinion I venture to 

 say that 



WE CANNOT GET ENOUGH RAW MATERIAL, 



and that the more its production is increased, 

 the more fields will be opened up for the use of 

 Caoutchouc. Why it would not in the least sur- 

 prise me if with the cheapening of rubber, it 

 would eventually provide material for the pav- 

 ing of our streets. Owners of plantations must 

 not be discouraged if the yield of profits does 

 not realise their expectations. We all know 

 that there are ups and downs in every trade 

 and every industry, but I am firmly convinced 

 that with increased production and greater ex- 

 perience in the means of obtaining raw rubber, 



THE COST OF CULTIVATION WILL VERY 

 MATERIALLY DECREASE, 



so that the economy on Rubber Plantations will 

 result in satisfactory returns to all concerned. 

 In connection with this, here, allow me to giv6 

 expression of my special thanks to Mr. Buckle- 

 ton for his efforts to awaken among those in- 

 terested in that culture the idea of this exhibi- 

 tion. He has thereby induced me to come to 

 London. The entire international industry has 

 a great interest in this show, and it is the first 

 time where those interested in our branch have 

 come from all parts of the globe to meet and to 

 exchange their views. I hope that there may 

 again be occasion before many years have passed 

 tor the holding of a second similar exhibition. 

 Such a future Exhibition will, 1 believe, arouse 

 even greater attention than the present one, in 

 consequence of the undoubtedly great success of 

 this show. In conclusion, Sir, I will, with your 

 permission, call upon the visitors to rise in their 

 places, and drink the health of the Committee, 

 and especially of that of Sir Henry Blake, our 

 Chairman. (" Hip, Hip, Hurrah. ") 



Mr. N H Witt— Commissioner for Amazonas — 

 also responded. He said : Sir HeDry Blake and 

 gentlemen, to me falls the agreeable task to join 

 Mr. Hoff in the response for the feast which 

 Colonel Bosworth so kindly offered to the 

 visitors. May I ask for your kind indulgence if 

 my words do not come up to what sentiments 

 it is my desire to express to you. 



I AM ONLY A RUBBER MAN, 



not one of those who have to do with Plan- 

 tation Rubber, and whose life — from what I 

 can hear and make out — is all sunshine; but one 

 of those who had during the greater part of 

 their life to deal with hard cure Amazonas rub- 

 ber, a life full of work and trouble but of very 



few dinners and after-dinner speeches, 1 have 

 often thought whether hard cure rubber was not 

 called so by the fact that it is so very hard to 

 make money with it. Well, here I stand before you 



REPRESENTING MY FRIENDS ON THE AMAZONAS 



where this hard cure rubber comes from, to 

 convey to you their heartiest thanks for the 

 kindness and hospitality shown to their repre- 

 sentative. Many years ago on the great Amazon 

 river, with its immense tributaries only canoes 

 were being used ; occasionally a sailing vessel 

 would connect its different townships. British 

 enterprise sent over from Europe a big fleet of 

 river steamers which ply now on the mighty 

 river and connects its remotest parts with the 

 rest of the world. British enterprise and energy 

 again established first a rapid over-sea com- 

 munication. The Booth Steamship Co. takes 

 away the riches the tropical forests produce and 

 brings back in return the goods manufactured 

 by Europe and the United States in its fine 

 fleet of steamers ; when trade developed, 

 British enterprise laid a sea cable down to 

 Para and connected later all Para with Manaos 

 by a cable laid down in the bed of the Amazon. 

 I hope the time will also come when British 

 and other foreign capital will partake in get- 

 ting the produce out of these wonderfully vast 

 and rich forests to a larger extent than has 

 been the case so far. Now, as for rubber 



YOU SAID— WHY SHALL WE NOT CONQUER 

 NATURE ITSELF 



and the wild growing rubber trees ; why not 

 plant and cultivate them and collect rubber 

 from these plantations in the same way as we 

 collect tea, coffee and other tropical produce ? 

 But hardly had you succeeded to some extent 

 in doing so, when you said in true English 

 goodfellowship and liberality, let us invite all 

 the nations of the world interested in rubber 

 growing, let us tell them our experience and 

 have an oxchange of ideas, let us have an In- 

 ternational Rubber Exhibition from which all 

 the world may derive a benefit. So we have 

 come from all parts of the tropical world and 

 you have received us with open arms and 

 made us feel at home amongst you. Great has 

 been the benefit we have derived from this In- 

 ternational exchange of ideas and we leave 

 you a good deal wiser than we came. Allow 

 me, Sir Henry Blake, and gentlemen, to thank 

 you most heartily on behalf of my friends on 

 the Amazon and myself for your kindness and 

 hospitality. 



Mr. Buckleton— proposed 



The Technical Press, 



whose valuable work everyone recognised, and 

 whose good-will towards this Exhibition had 

 been so amply demonstrated. 



Mr. H C Pearson — responded. He really 

 thought that on the whole the Technical Press 

 worked for the good of the industries they 

 represented. The day of the blackmailing 

 technical press was nearly past and an honest 

 endeavour was made by them, speaking generally, 

 to uphold the interests of those for whom they 

 wrote, whilst also taking care to preserve their 

 own. Personally he was extremely proud of 

 this Exhibition. (Loud applause.) 



63 



