271 



GUIVSS, RESBNS, SAPS AND EXUDATIONS. 



A LONDON BROKER ON THE CEYLON RUBBER INDUSTRY. 



Mr. A. O. Devitt, who has been making a visit of some duration to Ceylon, 

 is, as our readers are probably aware, a partner in the well-known firm of 

 Messrs. Lewis and Peat, brokers, who make a speciality of rubber. Mr. Devitt came 

 out here to get a knowledge of the rubber planting industry first hand, and to 

 assist planters here witli his knowledge of what the rubber trade requires and to 

 obtain an exchange of views between the planter and the broker which might bring 

 about a result advantageous to both parties. Mr. Devitt by his pei-souality and 

 genial, frank manner has made friends everywhere, and we are assured by planters 

 and others that his visit will be productive of much good to the Ceylon industry. 



Mr. Devitt has been over some (55 or more Ceylon rubber estates and has met 

 and exchanged views with a very large number of Ceylon men. He himself is well 

 pleased with his visit and feels that he can now handle plantation rubber on the 

 market with even more confidence than hitherto and with more advantage to the 

 Ceylon producer. He is exceedingly pleased with the plantations he has visited and 

 with the rubber he has seen everywhere. "The rubber" he says, "that is turned out 

 on the Ceylon estates is excellent, and I came across very few biscuits that would 

 not pass on a contract with a guarantee of 'fine plantation.' The sheet turned out 

 is excellent ; perhaps the best samples I saw were on Kondesalle." Sheet is made in 

 kerosine tins, and these are economic in space in coagulating, drying, &c, and in Mr. 

 Devitt's opinion very convenient for packing, as two layers of sheet can be packed 

 alongside and 150 lb. will go into an ordinary " Venesto " case. This is the best way 

 for turning out the rubber, he thinks, and in the form most attractive to buyers. 



Ceylon plantation rubber in the order of its attractiveness to buyers runs 

 as follows :— Sheet, biscuits, lace, crepe and worms, "But" says Mr. Devitt, "there 

 is no difference hi their value whatever." 



Lace, crepe and worms have been receiving much more attention lately 

 in London as buyers have got over their prejudice and are taking them at sheet and 

 biscuit prices. The buyer, says Mr. Devitt, likes something that he can pull about 

 and test, like sheet and biscuit, rather than the worm rubber. 



" I have personally seen the manufacture on estates of all kinds of rubber, 

 and I shall be in a position to assure buyers and manufacturers that these Ceylon 

 rubbers are perfectly sound and as pure as possible." Mr. Devitt has had 10 years 

 experience in London attending to nothing but rubber, and since it started he has 

 closely followed the planting industry ; with his further experience gained out here 

 and in the Malay Peninsula he should be in a unique position to help the planters to 

 make the best of the market at home — and we think he will do it. It is his intention, 

 he informs us, to push the planting product as much as and wherever possible, and 

 to do all in his power to get the rubber widely known and generally used. He thinks 

 buyers will realise the importance of plantation rubber, and he will get men to try 

 it and test it in every way and will push its claims among the regular buyers. 



The New Draft Allowance.— Regarding the new draft allowance, we 

 believe the new regulation is due to Mr. A. O. Devitt's recommendations. The 

 customary trade allowances were 2| per cent discount, and draft, which was, on 

 packages weighing gross 28 lb. or under, nil, and on packages exceeding 28 lb. gross 

 1 lb., and 2 lb. allowed where the tare of the package exceeded 28 lb. By the new 

 regulation on every 100 lb. rubber only \ lb. draft allowance is made. This is a step 



