Gums, Resins, 



290 



[Oct. 1906. 



Mr. Carruthers said he should like to be allowed to say that among the 

 interesting lectures and conferences there, that lecture was one of if not the most 

 interesting, and he thought there was no doubt they could say, almost without 

 exaggeration, that that might be an epoch-making paper read to them by Mr. 

 Bamber, and it was possible in the future it might cause great changes in the 

 rubber-producing industry. At the same time he was very glad Mr. Smithett told 

 them quite plainly the position of the men at home, and it was well the matter 

 should be looked at from a practical point of view. The subject might have come 

 better if it had been brought before them by a home manufacturer and not by 

 their friend, Mr. Bamber ; but at the same time he was rather glad that Mr. Bamber 

 should have been the man who should have discovered and originated this possibly 

 entirely revolutionary notion with regard to rubber. (Applause). When the 

 producer in the Federated Malay States began to manufacture crepe, as Mr, 

 Smithett had told them, and after visiting the manufacturers at home, he had 

 come to the conclusion that they were fighting shy of crepe simply because they 

 were treading on their corns and trespassing on their grounds in regard to the 

 manufacture — he had no doubt directly they began to suspect any rivalry they 

 would have difficulty with them. He thought that with due caution they should 

 keep that matter in the back of their heads at present. That process of Mr, 

 Bamber's would help them in the future, but he thought they ought to 

 "ca, cany" at present. There could be no doubt, as Mr. Bamber's arguments 

 showed, that the proper time to mix any substances with their rubber was when it 

 was in the form of latex. He thought it was an important original idea. They 

 were there hearing a most interesting paper, and he was not sure but that it would 

 be better to treat it at this stage as an interesting paper and not one that planters 

 can actually accomplish. (Applause.) 



Dr. Cuthbert Christy said he could not talk of the vulcanisation of rubber 

 as he knew nothing about it, but there was one point with regard to the 

 keeping of latex to which he would like to refer. There was little doubt but that 

 could be kept for a long time. He had had experience in London with samples that 

 were over two months old with the addition of a little formalin. They were 

 perfectly good and formed excellent biscuits. The only chemical action that had 

 gone on was the formation of sulphuretted hydrogen. The latex was perfectly good 

 and produced perfectly good rubber although one or two months old. 



Mr. Ryan said in corroboration of what had been said by Dr. Christy 

 and Mr. Bamber, he might mention that for many years from Nigeria and 

 the French Congo they had been in the habit of exporting latex in casks 

 which apparently reached the market, and presumably, as it was still going on, they 

 found it paid to do so. They had river transport. Some four or five months ago he 

 had exported two hogsheads of latex to London, and the commercial report on the 

 resultant rubber was favourable. It arrived in perfect condition. The time in 

 transit was 28 days. There was a delay of seven days in the London docks, and 

 before it was actually treated it was about six weeks' time from the date it was 

 despatched from Colombo. The remarks made by the manufacturers were to the 

 effect there was a slight generation of sulphuretted hydrogen. That was the only 

 change made in the rubber. (Hear, hear ) 



Mr. Bamber said there was one other point which he wished to mention. 

 Not very long ago, he saw a notice in the papers that they were exporting latex 

 from Brazil to France with the view of making the rubber there, and he could not 

 see himself why they should not be fir&t in the field in that sort of work, though 

 he quite realised it was premature at present. There was not a sufficient supply 

 of rubber to make it worth the while of manufacturers coming out here to buy 



