New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-06-17

THE rNpIA.RUBBER TRADE.

which the inventive genius Of the present age mas
into existence none occupies more promiaen' posi-
ton than the manufacture Of what is called India
Rubber (oed.s designation which, however incorrect
in Ia appcstion, we shall adopt az beng that oy ~nca
article. made Of what is more properly termed
esoutchoue are generally known
Though Il il 90 very recently 'tnee this singular
substance was applied for the first time to the MAUI
o.ure Of goods Of general utility and even iurury the
xA; phhsy Tradehss already become one OF the prom
inent branches Of industry in the United States there
h,nv ;nve.sed IN il already large amount of wealth,
.,.Snono e,ornou, annual returns, and giving direct
abandonment To many thousands Of artisans. It's rapid
y;,e and progress exhibiting al elasticity quite 10
keeping sh the peculiar properties OF the article from
which Il taxi ca lie nsme) the universally ofts uses and
the troubles which have accompanied its short career
form altogether 30 interesting theme az to be emf
pently deserving, We think. Of an extended notice.
brief sketch Of the history Of the natural product
will be necessary TO give completeness to our subject
The Caoutchouc, or Inda-rubber Tree (the Fieus
Elastiess Of naturaists is to be found extensively IN
most tropical countries though for time prin
cipa importation was derived almost exclusively from
South America, but owing to the nadequscy Of the
supply from that quarter meet the growing demand,
quantity has during the last two years been brought
from Java, Penang Singapore and Assam. Yet with
ali these additions to our sources OF obtaining this use
full article il is apprehended that the market will short
" fail to offer enough to meet the growing demand at
remunerative prices as this gum formerly despsed
as not to be worth Importation, has increased in value
within few ears, from IS to 60 cents per pound-a
price almost too high to render its manufacture
rave though il is difficult to obtain il, even at this
enormous rates. Yet this deficiency arises not from
natural but solely from artificial causes, the interior OF
the countries to which this tree is indigenous, being
for the most part inaccessible TO traoers but
il otherwise South America alone could assuredy supply
all the wants Of this Continent and Europe. Bat even
should that source from any unforeseen cause be closed
against u.s. there doubt hat the iauumerabe slnts
ofthe Indian Archipelago, which are prolific the iolt-
cbouc would from the less cost of labor there admin
ister 10 all our wants 1t the jealous policy of those
countries in excluding foreigners could be overcome
This concession if made must inevitably be work
of time while the emergency of the case IS daily more
eensbly felt and consider that 1t therefore may be
pro6tabe TO some of our merchants TO direct their at
tenon 10 that portion Of the coast Of BJrneo
opposite Out not belonging TOY the English settlement OF
labuan We allude 20 the territory OF Sarawak, nov
under the sovereignty of ST. JAS BrOOke-tha Prince OF
modern adventurous, so like the chlTarous Walter Rs
leigh in all but bis misfortunes-whO, from a humble
cadet In the service Of the East India Company is
despotic monarch Of large and fertile country, occupy
inc 80 miles OF sea board aud without inland boundaries
The country which he has sway rich IN the
trees yielding ndia-rubber and guta percha gums the
latter article being exported in vast quantities To Eng
land and native abOrers are plentiful there aud the
country peaceful there would in all probability be little
difficulty in procuring an inexhaustble supply on profit
able terms
Though we are indebted TO the East Indies AMI Car
thagena in New Grenada for portion of the india rub
Der gum employ in manufacture, yet Para, IN Bra
zil is the place from which derive principal sup
ply and the following table, derived from the
f.I1 he stead a ~
six years. Our merchants imported from Para:
f. iI,.s, 2S1ss IL IL Is s3sS5SS
The latter being the estimated retlrns by the close OF
the present year. decrease will be observed in the
wear 1852 but this occasOned entirely by tn" dec
ency of the supply from that quarter large impor-
taons from England having brought the general entries
SLIGHTLY above those of any former year Small shipments
have iatery been made from East Indian ports to the
extent of about lbs during each OF the last two
wears but owing TO the nerory OF the article that
of Para. il ia but little in demand Carthagena sent
MS in 1852 10000 lbs, and this year il is supposed
that not less than double that quantity will be derived
from the same source. Those persons, however, who
are specializing there in the business OF the raw material
have adopted very reprehensibe practice to obtain
quicker supply namely that Of cutting down the trees
in produce aquantty ofsaP ut preference
90 the slower process of tapping thus not only utterly
DESTROYING the tree but producing inferior article
This s indeed practical Illustration OF the fable OF the
goose with the golden eggs!
The Fiers EiaSeRS runs up forty sixty feet before
IL branches and at double that hight is mtted with
rich t;,iage The gum which when il exudes is Of q
pure white color and about the consistency of honey
(resemblng also the poppy or milkweed of northern
ATTITUDES il obtained by making an lncisiOn IN the tree
about an inch in width under which placed several
cay Guns TO receive the drOppngs These trees which
aretapped every other day. continue yield sap for
than twenty years and is singular circumstance that
the Oldest and most frequently tapped trees produce the
richest SAD the best for procuring the liquid
being during the months of May, Juue July and August
For many years nearly all the gum used in the United
States imported from Para though the trade has
now extended 20 the western coast OF South America
where tie caoutchouc said be abundant and of the
best quality, of the trees yielding avery superior
sap
The Indians themselves have a rough idea of manuac
turing the gum though they after primitive
method Vet We must not forget that 70 them we are
originally indebted for notion which has since been
so amply and probably developed at home The ilk col
lected smoked to prevent eOsguaton and the sap
then Ioure( upon clay wooden lasts the article IN
be made is shoe, and il requires between twenty aud
thirtysuch coats to finish il fit for Each coat is held
over fire small furnace, and smoked foe about hall
mnutea process which gives the dark brown color il
hears when imported, well as hardening it and rem
aerng il less adhesive though is some months before
n is sufficiently seasoned for service An amusing
trast as we shall presently to the expensive and
complete machinery of some OF our manufacturing es
Establishments.
I73s having been introduced by some scientific French
Travellers who had been exploring ia South America
Init mo commercial advantage resulted. We hear OF II
nyain ia 1891 when DR.. PrieStly mentions new gum
psed tr srasnC pencil marks, and hence called rubber
deriving It's rref1 from the erroneous idea that came
from India We cannot trace II IN this country before