Mapx'H 1, 1900.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
613 
THE PETROLEUM TRADE. 
( Special Report. J 
The year 1890 lias been o:ie of great revnl- 
ion in "the Petroleum trade, prices having shown 
very material advance, owinsr mainly to the 
lany new and large uses wliich have been found 
ir Petroleum products. Amonj; these. Liquid 
'uel far use outside of oil-producing countries 
5 a large factor, while it must not be forgotten 
hat the falliiig-oft in the supplies of tlie 
jangkat Company's oil has created a void in 
he east which the production, certainly not 
iicreasing, in Russia and America, has found it 
itticult to fill. 
American. — The production of Crude Petroleum 
n America for the last three years has been as 
ollows : — 
1897 2,132,759,000 Imperial gallons, 
1898 2,111,034.000 
1899 2,058,6,56,000 „ „ 
The Exports were as follows : — 
1897 973,515,000 Imperial gallons 
1898 1,034,250,000 
1899 1,082,345,000 
That the Americans have exported to the ut- 
nost possible, in view of the iniiiroved prices, is 
ivident from the following table :— 
Eemaining for home consumption per head of the 
)opulation : 
in 1897 18'16 Imperial Gallons 
1898 16-92 
1899 14-00 
L.-\.NGKAT. — The supplies ot illuminating oil 
'rora this source which, during 1898, reached ap- 
jroximately 5,000,000 cases, and wliich were ex- 
pected to reach during 1899 nearly double that 
ijuantity of have, during the year, fallen olT to such 
in extent that the monthly p oduction during the 
second half of the year averaged from 1.50,000 
:lown to 120,000 cases, and today does not exceed 
the rate of 120,000 cases per month— thus leaving a 
large void to be tilled. 
Russia.— The production of Crude Oil in Russia 
during the last three years was as follows: — 
1897 1,883,810,000 Imperial Gallons 
1898 2,216,700,000 
1899 2,807,957,000 
It must be borne in mind that the fast growing 
increase of demand for Liquid Fuel in Russia 
has absorbed a very large proportion of the in- 
crease, while the production at Baku is immaterial, 
seeing that the transport facilities by rail from 
Baku to Batoum are extremely limited, and during 
the year were more so than usual owing to the 
removal of a very large number of waggons by 
the Government Railway Authorities for purposes 
of repair. A larger number than usual of interrup- 
tions in the Railway were also experienceil, while 
the increasing favour in which Russian Oil is held 
in Europe, and the consequently increased demand 
for it, have made a call for a larger proportion 
of the Oil received in Batoum than usual. 
The total exports from Black Seaports of Rus- 
sian Oils, including Crude, Relined and liesidnum 
during the past three years, have been as follows : — 
1897 57,100,000 Poods 
1898 68,701,000 „ 
1899 69,738,000 „ 
(N. B. — One Pood equals a]jproximately 4-378 
Imp: Gallons of Refined Oil), 
In Russia, as also in America, although the high 
level of prices reached has stimulated boring to a 
large extent, nevertheless production has not been 
materially increased, as it is stated tiiat by boring 
their Wells too close together, a new Well robs 
older ones of their production, ai^d this is evidenced 
by the reduction in the number of new spouting 
wells in Russia. 
Values. — The values in America have been as 
follows : — 
For Crude oil Jan. and Feb. 1899 | 1-15 per Barrel. 
March to June 1899 1-13 do 
July 1899 l*2l do 
August 1899 1'27 do 
September 1899 1 43 do 
November 189 1-58 do 
December 1899 1 66 do 
January 1900 1-68 do 
In Russia values of Relined oil per Pood were 
as follows : — 
Free on Riil, Baku: — 
January 1899 234 Copecks per Pocd. 
February 22^ do 
March to April 16i do 
May 19| do 
June to July 22| do 
August 25 J do 
September 24 9-16 do 
October 30 do 
November 38 11-16 do 
December 47J do 
January 1900 55" do 
In addition to this continuous but fast increase 
in values, has to be reckoned an increase in 
the Railway Tariff from Baku to Batoum of four 
Copecks, viz ; from 12 Copecks to 16 Copecks per 
Pood, while the premium on waggons paid in Baku 
has gone from 3 ta 18 Copecks per pood, thus 
bringing practically home the shortage of waggons 
and transport facilities. 
Prices of Russian case oil have increased from 
2s 7id to 2s 8d in April to May up to 4s 4d at the 
end of the year — the last being a luuely nominal 
quotation, as there were no sellers. 
Today's parity for Bulk Oil is 4s 8d per case. 
The same position continues today, although 
quotations are considerably higher. 
American case oil has steadily increased in 
value from 5 cents per Amei ican gallon in January 
to 11 cents in December. 
Othhe Sources of Supply.— Although other 
sources ot supply than Russian and Americin 
were eagerly sought for during 1899, none came 
to such an advanced state that exports of Refined 
oil were made. The value of the Roumanian fields 
is very doubtful, but even if the value should turn 
out to be considerable, the geographical position 
is not favourable, and a very large cost would 
have to be incurred, and avery long time occu- 
pied, before the oil could be got to the sea-shore. 
Borneo has made giant strides, but the diffi- 
culties encountered owing to tl:e nature of the 
country and the climatic conditions have post- 
poned the actual shipment of Refined oil, but the 
hrst cargo is expected to be available this month. 
It will te seen, therefore, that while production 
in America and Russia has been practically at a 
standstill, there has been no production elsewhere 
to make up for : — 
(1). The larger demand for Petroleum owing to 
its utilisation for fresh purposes ; and (2) the 
material falling-off' in the production in Sumatra. 
The obvious result was, therefore, an increase 
in values, which has been very material, and 
which has checked somewhat the extended use 
in Asiatic countries of Kerosene, so that the in- 
creased demand for Kerosene for native consump- 
tion in the Far East which has steadily been ex- 
perienced during the last ten years, was not 
continued during 1899— which was felt to be a 
relief by all connected with the Petroleum trade, 
as it would only have increased the difficulties 
which were experienced during that year by all 
connected with the trade in supplying the demand, 
