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products, and notably rubber. All grades of rubber have not 
depreciated in the same relative degree ; yet the products of the 
Congo basin have been particularly affected in this regard because 
of the very unsatisfactory condition in which they arrive in the 
European markets. Please notice that I use the word condition 
and not quality, for it has become the too general belief, and erro- 
neously so, that it is the quality of the Congo rubber that has 
declined. 1 am free to admit that the excessive oyer production of 
some two or three grades of rubber has led to a shading of the 
quality, but this is by no means general. 
When I take into consideration the enormous quantity of rubber 
produced in the Congo Free State, I am still of the opinion that 
the African continent will yet furnish this material in excellent 
qualities. The chief defect in the crude product lies in the oxida- 
tion of the gum, this oxidation being fostered by the long detentions 
in improper housing at the entrepots near the places of collection. 
It is a fermentation, in fact, which renders the gum viscous or 
* sticky. In most cases this is not the result of negligence on the 
part either of the black collectors or the white receivers. Let 
properly constructed storehouses be erected and placed at the 
. disposal of the receivers, and they will send the gum in the best 
state of preservation to the European markets. As long, indeed, as 
the raw product continues to be subjected to the present irrational 
conditions in Africa, we need not hope for any marked change in 
the character of the material shipped. True, during the trans- 
portation from the storehouses at Leopoldville, Matadi, and other 
places, to the sea, the rubber is subjected to the deteriorating 
influence of the sun’s rays, yet the character of this action is of less 
grave a nature than that produced by defective storage. In fact, 
in the former case the package is affected only upon one side, easily 
seen in spots on the exterior, while in the latter case the whole 
package is affected. 
Again, if the balls of rubber have remained long in a defective 
storehouse where they may have contracted noxious germs, their 
presence for a lengthened period in the hold of a ship carrying them 
to Europe, will, of course, hasten the oxidation, whereas if the gum 
be itx a perfectly healthy condition when shipped it will not deterio- 
rate from a short detention in the hold. But should a consignment 
of even healthy rubber remain, let us say, two months, in the 
un ventilated hold of a ship, especially in the tropics, it is certain 
that it would *'e seriously affected. Of course, during the months 
of July, August, and September, even the repositories of Europe 
must be carefully looked after ; for certain soft gums become bad 
during this season, even in the storehouses at home. On the other 
hand, if a consignment of rubber reach the European markets in a 
slightly damaged condition, its lying in a defective storehouse at 
home during the heated term will undoubtedly cause an aggravation 
of its viscous character, while the storage in the cold months may 
be prolonged indefinitely without any deleterious results. 
In Africa, as you well know, there are two sources of supply for 
the commercial rubber, viz., the vines ( Landolphia ) and trees of 
several species. The gum obtained from the trees is less liable to 
become sticky, though this is not the only reason that rubber from 
