An.  Jour.  Phabm.  \ 
Aug.  1, 1874.  f 
The  Camphor  Trade. 
385 
camphor.  These  cakes  of  impure  camphor  are  refined  by  being  in- 
troduced into  a  large  globular  glass  vessel  in  quantities  of  about  10 
dbs.,  are  reheated,  when  first  the  water  rises  in  steam  and  is  allowed 
to  escape  at  a  small  aperture  ;  and  then,  after  this  aperture  is  closed, 
'the  camphor  sublimes  and  resolidifies  in  the  interior  upper  part  of  the 
'flask  as  a  semi-transparent  cake,  leaving  all  impurities  behind.  The 
flasks  are  then  cooled  and  broken  by  throwing  cold  water  upon  them,  and 
the  camphor  is  taken  out  and  sent  to  market.  The  glass  globes  em- 
ployed are  called  by  the  Italian  name  bomboles,  the  sublimation  of 
camphor  having  been  first  practiced  at  Venice,  where  it  was  held  as 
a  monopoly,  but  it  is  now  done  in  all  the  large  cities  of  Europe.  The 
process,  which  is  completed  in  about  forty-eight  hours,  requires  con- 
siderable attention  and  experience.  There  are  two  kinds  of  unrefined 
-or  crude  camphor  known  in  commerce: — 1.  Dutch  or  Japan  camphor, 
also  called  tub  camphor,  from  the  circumstance  of  its  being  brought 
from  Batavia  in  tubs  covered  by  matting,  each  surrounded  by  a  second 
tub,  secured  on  the  outside  by  hoops  of  twisted  cane.  .  Each  tub  con- 
tains from  1  cwt.  to  cwt.  or  more.  It  consists  of  pinkish  grains, 
which  by  their  mutual  adhesion  form  lumps.  It  is  of  larger  grain, 
clearer,  and  sublimes  at  a  lower  temperature  than  the  second  variety, 
which  is  known  in  commerce  as,  2,  ordinary  crude  camphor,  China 
•camphor,  and  Formosa  camphor.  This  is  imported  from  Singapore, 
•Bombay,  &c,  in  square  chests  lined  with  lead  foil,  and  containing 
>to  1J  cwt.  It  is  chiefly  produced  in  the  Island  of  Formosa,  and  is 
conveyed  in  junks  to  the  Chinese  ports  of  Shanghai  and  Canton, 
whence  <the  foreign  markets  are  supplied. 
Of  the  first  description,  in  1870 — the  last  year  for  which  returns 
are  obtainable,  owing  to  alterations  in  the  accounts  of  the  British 
•Custom  House — there  were  imported  from  China  7,890  cwts.  ;  from 
Japan,  2,576  cwts. ;  from  the  Straits  Settlements,  1,023  cwts.  ;  from 
Bombay,  311  cwts.  ;  and  from  Germany,  Holland  and  France  together 
568  cwts. ;  in  all,  12,^68  cwts.,  valued  at  £45,294,  making  an  aver- 
age of  <£3  13s.  Sd.  per  cwt.  Of  the  second,  or  better  kind,  the  im- 
ports were  : — From  China,  2,171  cwts. ;  from  the  Straits  Settlements, 
51  cwts.  ;  from  France  and  Germany  together,  139  cwts.  ;  in  all 
5,361  cwts.,  valued  at  ,£14,498,  making  an  average  of  £6  2s.  lOd.  per 
-cwt.  There  is  a  considerable  traffic  carried  on  between  the  Chinese 
^mainland  ports  of  Shanghai,  Hong  Kong,  and  Canton  with  the  ports 
24 
