20.1 



Saps mid Exudations* 



1904. 



1903. 



1902. 



3,262 



3,3(55 



4,618 



1,430 



1,365 



2,105 



30,385 



31,070 



28,590 



4,390 



4,050 



3,160 



advanced to 3s. 9]<Z. spot— large sales forward down to 3s. uhd. During November 

 and December we had a quiet market at Id. over these values till the close 

 when short receipts caused buyers to pay up to 5.s\ v>\d. for fine hard, 5s. id. 

 for soft, 4s. Old. scrappy negrohead, 3s. 3hd. Island, and 3s. 10^d. Caucho ball 

 spot, closing easier. 



Active demand, enlarged consumption, especially of Fine Rubber, and 

 rather frequent fluctuations of prices have been the features of 1905 in Europe. 

 ''Motors" of all descriptions rapidly increase: as yet nothing found reliable for 

 tyres except rubber. But all Caoutchouc manufacturers have been busy, and 

 the increased supply has been consumed— we estimate the world's total supply 

 of Rubber fully 60.000 tons. The price of fine Para at one time showed 8d. 

 advance, but closes id. per lb. over a year ago, Negrohead 2d., Caucho ball 

 which has been in great demand, fSd. higher. 



The supply of mediums rather increased again, West Coast African about 

 the same, say 17,500 tons, against 18,000 tons in 1904, and supplies from the 

 Belgium Congo are stationary, though quality is improving. 



Visible supply 1st January, 1906 : — 



1906. 1905. 



Of Para and Peruvian ... tons 2,874 2,666 

 Including America ... ,, 1,600 1,830 



For the whole year Brazil 



increased (from the Amazonas) . 34,420 



This includes Peruvian and 



Caucho via Iquitos and 



Manaos ... ,, 6,100 



The fine, generally, has been well selected, and should be cut and sorted 

 carefully before shipment. Quality of the Caucho Ball and Slab was good. 

 Bolivia sent more, Mollendo less ; both sell readily. Venezuela via the Orinoco, 

 moderate parcels sold at good prices, also some of Mangabeira descriptions, 

 Ceara was in small supply and realised high prices. Larger quantities of Mani- 

 coba sold very high, except low, dirty lots. Small parcels of thin sheet, clean, 

 "Plantation" Manicoba sold from 4s. Qhd. to 5s. 2d. Pernambuco and Assare 

 in moderate supply realised id. advance. We had less Mangabeira, but a larger 

 proportion of good qualities, and prices 3d. to id, higher. Mattogrosso was not 

 always as clean as formerly, but 240 tons sold at very high relative prices, 

 also Mangabeira, which was much liked. 



Cental America and Mexico increased (total C. A. probably 3,200 tons) ; 

 prices have ruled high. Colombian in decreased supply and middling quality, 

 price id. to 6d. higher. Fine clean hard would command a very high price. 

 Carthagena, Ecuador, Tumaco, etc., in small supply and about 3d. to 6cZ. per 

 lb. higher. All clean Rubber from the Cauca, Magdalena, Nicaragua, or Mexico, 

 will bring high rates. We expect some "Plantations" in these regions will 

 produce soon ; we hope of good, clean, hard Rubber. 



1905. 1904. 1903. 



West Coast African ... ... 17,500 tons 18,000 tons 15,000 tons 



Including Benguela and Mossamedes... 1,650 ,, 1,600 ,, 1,450 „ 

 Price advanced 5%d. Loanda.. ... 800 ,, 950 „ 980 „ 



„ 12% Congo ... ... 5,650 „ 5,800 „ 5,600 „ 



The quality has been good and prices higher. Increased supplies from Niger, 

 Gold Coast, Accra, Lagos, etc., sold fairly. Small quantities of nice quality from 

 the Cameroons, Sierra Leone, Gaboon, and Conakry, brought higher prices. 

 French Sudan via Senegal 1,250 tons against 1,200 in 1904. Quality liked and 

 demand excellent at high prices. Liverpool landed of West African 4,700 tons 

 against 5,080 tons in 1904, 3,830 tons in 1903. 



