1, 1902.] THE TBOHOAL AGRIOUL rUKIST. 
501 
close the year firrolY with quotationa of Hard Fine 
at 83. 6|d. and Soft at Ss. 5|d. Negroheads coutinue 
to remain very scarce, Sornppy being quoted at 2s. 9d., 
Island (of which the greater portion is beiug to America) 
28. lid., Canietas 2s. 2d . Ball, 23. 6d., and Slab 2?. Ojd. 
The total amount of Rubber imported from Urazil 
showa a further increase of 3,200 tons, and ttie 
total quantity exported from the State of Amazonas, 
including Peruvian via Iquitoa and Manaos, is 4,000 
tons against 3,100 tons. The Peruvian F'ine imported 
has we think been better as a whole, but owing 
to the Rubber having arrived in most cases uncut 
and nnselected before shipment, new rules had to 
be adopted in order to provi e for this altered mode 
of shipping this rubber. The Peruvian Ball imported 
has not been up to the expected quality, and at the 
end of the year the atandard of fair average quality 
was considered lower, allhongh eome nice clean 
Hard Balls when received did realise fairly good, 
and in some cases exceptional prices. The slab 
continuous to be of good serviceable quality, and 
the consumption of it is certainly spreading. Boli- 
vian kinds have been very fair, but the impoits 
were not as large as last year. Mollendo again 
showed a marked improvement in quality, and con- 
sequently sold exceedingly well. From Venezuela 
via Orinoco the supply was less than last year and the 
quality not very attractive. 
Imports of Ceara Scrap are smaller, but of these 
grades only the best qualities could be sold easily, 
others are dragging. Of Manicoba kinds we received 
less, but quality was good, and prices realised were 
Batisfactoi y. Pernambuco and Assaree qualities have 
somewhat improved, but owing to the general decline 
of the Rubber market, the values of thefe classes 
receded considerably. There were not very impor- 
tant arrivals of good Mangabeira and although the 
stocks are considerably going down and available 
supplies very small, the prices realised for ordinary 
quality show an enormous falling oS in price. The 
imports of Mattogrosso. in sympathy with Para, 
showed similar fluctuations, although transactions 
were only spasmodic. Central America has again 
been conspicuous by a further considerable decline 
in its export of Rubber, probably owing to the con- 
tinued political unrest existing in those parts, and 
tl>e only rubber reaching us comes from the Columbia 
districts, but the quantities were very insignificant. 
The Equator and Guayaquil kinds sold readily, and 
the prices at the end of the year are only about a 
3d. lower than they were a year ago. Of course this 
refers to good qualities only. Inferiors and mixed 
kinds are much cheaper. The Imports from Hon- 
duras, Mexico and Panama were likewise very small. 
Africans. — As expected at the close of the previ- 
ous year, the increase in imports of these descrip- 
tions was not only not maintained but showed a 
considerable and serious falling off, and we estimate 
the difference of imports from Africa to be about 2,C00 
tons below that of last year. 
With the exception of slight spurts in April and 
again in August (in sympathy with Fine Para,) 
the year I'.lOl has been characterised by an un- 
interrupted decline in African Rubber, the only ex- 
ception being First Sierra Leone Niggers which are 
nclnally rather dearer than a year ago, while all 
other descriptions show a decline varying fim Id. to as 
much as Gd. per lb. 
From Angola we received 250 tons less, made up 
in shipments from Benguela of 1,250 ton, as against 
L. 500 tons in 1900. Loanda 730 tons, against 678 tons 
ibiMdes 200 Ibinibles). Quality has been hardly so 
good. The congo has slightly increased, but the 
quality has seriously declined ; about 5,300 tons, 
Rgnitst 5,000 tons in 19(10. The average price shows 
a very considerable fall because so much was of 
poor quality. The supply from Sierra Leone and 
French Guinea has again fallen off, partly owing 
to the prohibition by tbo French authorities of the 
exportation of dirty, wet, and inferior Rubber from 
Conakry. The quality being thua reliable kaa caused 
consumers to look on this kind with favor, and 
their appreciation is reflpcted in the price whi'-h is 
unusually high compared with other llutberg, both 
African and Bn zilian. 
Quite an extraordinary decline in supply of Cold 
Coast, Accra. Lagos, Ac, and only moderate frrni 
CamerooDS, S erra Leone, Gaboon, &c., and Fiiiall 
of; Senegal. Piires of nice Hard only about 2d. 
lower, but Soft common and Lagos fully 4d. decline for 
the year. We no longer quote Strips and Biscuit, 
the pressing of Lump Rubbers being piacticnlly 
abandoned, Liverpool imports of AVest African 4,200 
tons, against 5,140 tons in 1900. and 5,600 tons in l'899, 
The Congo Free State has given increased exports 
to Antwerp, but other kinds of African have gone 
there in reduced quantities, so that the total Antwerp 
imports show little change. 
During January, African Rubber met with a die- 
appointing demand at rather easier prices. February 
and March were very dull and prices d. clined for 
most sorts, closing with lower values all round. In 
April, {iiirly good trade was done at rather better 
prices, closing however somewhat quieter. A moder- 
ately large business was done in May at irregular 
prices. Good Sierra Leone sorts were then well in 
demand, showing however little, if any, change in 
pr ice, whilst Lump descriptions were -^d. to Id. per 
lb. lower. During June and July African Rubbers 
met with a moderate to poor demand at general 
lower rates, and only a comparatively small trade 
was done at barely steady prices. The demand was 
better in August, especially for paroles of good 
quality which arrived from Sierra Leone. This 
position of the market was not nraintained, and 
we see a constant falling off in the demand, which 
remained disappointng with only small business pass- 
ing at generally lower rates, until the end of Novem- 
ber, when quite a steady trade was done at geneially 
unaltered and in some instances slightly increased 
prices. The demand continued to improve during 
December for all the better grades, and rather higher 
rates were paid all round. 
East Coast of Africa (Zanzibar, &c.) — The sup- 
plies of these descriptions have continued to gradually 
fall off, and to this must be ascribed the fact that 
at the close red hard Rubber is only Id. per lb. 
lower, but White and common Ball Rubber declined 
about 4d. per lb. Lamu Ball (MtMBAssA): The 
arrivals were not important although the quality 
was fair and good clean Rubber sold fairly well 
prices, however, showing a decline of 2d. for the 
year. Nyassaland sent us very eood Rubber, but 
the consingment were small, and when they reached, 
the market were bought up readily at fair to full 
prices. Medagascak tupplies were again on the 
decrease, and have only been about half of what 
they were last year, and values were consequently well 
maintained. 
Imports from Ceylon were again insignificant, but 
whatever small quantity reached this market 
it proved very attractive, as the quality and condi- 
tion continued to be excellent, and many buyers 
were anxious to secure even the small arrivals, 
owing to the specially clean condition of this Rub- 
ber. We confidently expect that if larger imports 
could he arranged a great circle of consumers would 
come in and pay full prices for these grades, 
especially if the quality be kept up. It would be 
advisable to encourage the planters and others in- 
terested in this product in giving particular atten- 
tion to this nio?t valuable Rubber. High prices 
were realised, and 3s. 9jd. was recently paid for 
Fine and 2s. 4d. for the Negroheads. It is. of course, 
known that this Rubber, should practically be of the 
same kind as the one coming from the State of Ama- 
zoncs, being grown from Para seed. 
Rangoon and Penang has also been in much reduced 
supply. Of the latter description we piactically re- 
ceived no further shipments this year, but ia spite of 
