Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-12
QUINIhE STEADILY FAILING.
The Failure or the Great Italian Manu-.
facturers.

me OF tue
facurers.
New York T.mes.l
Among the manufacturers OF quinine the
news Of the suspension Of the Bohringers,
the great Italian producers. coupled with
the suspension yesterday OF G.. j. Meier. OF
London, produced but little effect. The
price for the article has steadily tended
downward since the reno nj of the tariff,
and sales were made yesterday rs low as 81
per ounce-the lowest for years. Since the
forests in Peru became less ready OF access,
causing the experiment OF the planting on
q large scale in CeylOn and Java. the pro-
ductlon has steadily increased. and now
according 10 the judgment OF the largest
manufacturers in the trade here. the sup.
ply manufactured largely exceeds the de-
mand.
The trees. when planted, Weld their bark
within four or five years, and. unlike the
native trees in Peru, do not become eX-
haUsted. but the bark l. taken from them
year after year. The quality OF The article
from the cultivated tree is far superior to
that produced from the wild trees. More
over, the PERI Wan forests have become to
a certain extent exhausted by the indis-
criminate robbery OF the trees wherever
found, and the sources OF supply have BE-
come 20 remote from the sea-coast that tie
cost Of transportation has risen 50 much as
10 almost drive the native article out OF the
market. In fact. the name Peruvian bark
viii soon become q missioner. Had the
experiment Of the planting IN the East not
been tried. and had the world been left de.
pendent for its supplies on the Peruvian
forests, the price OF quinine, it Is es;i-
mated, would now not be less than s. per
ounce.
The worlds production to-day Il estiml-
ted at 800, 900 ounces, Of which Germany
and Italy manufacture by far the greatest
portion. There is considerable made In
England, bat this l. Of a superior quality,
and its enhanced cost limits its consump-
lion and consequent production. America
consumed 40 per cent. Of the total produc-
ton, or about 100000 ounces. Prior 10
the removal Of the tariff 100000 ouaces
were produced here, but the eliec.
Of the removal OF the duty has
been 10 decrease the manufacture and
make the United States more dependent
upon fereign supplies. IL is estimated that
now no. more thai 100000 ounces are
manufactured in the New World, but thi,
Is in Part due TO the destruction by tire in
Philadelphia OF the works OF the largest
American producers, who now send their
bark to Europe to he prepared for the
market. From the East Indies the ship
ments Of the raw material to the
United States were over 6.0o0.DD0
pounds, Of which very large proper.
ten was shipped TO Europe for account
Of the American manufacturers. OF late
years the quality Of the product has MT
ieriaIly improved, the quin!ne now sold
having not more than from > to ) per cent.
Of the lower all,lloids, while 1t is but a
short time since that quinnc having 10 per
cent. OF these was deemed satisfactory
article. This improvement j. believed 10
be due entirely to the better quality OF the
bark obtained from the cultivated tree.
There have been attempts made 20 re-
place quinnc with other articles Of a SINH
lar nature. and for time what is called
synthetic quinne was produced ia large
quantities. With the development OF the
industry in the East, and the consequent
reduction In the price OF the raw mrerial.
tins manufacture has row almost entirely
ceased. A prominent New York manui1c-
turer said yesterday:
"The removal OF the tariff has little or
nothing 10 do with the decentralization in
the trade. All the trouble is caused by
while the demand has re-
NAMED constant. | cannot see that there
is any more consumed now than during the
past five years, and the only effect OF taking
of the duty has been to remove bali Of the
work done from the United States to
Europe. The manufactures there have
dumped on the United states all their sur
plus product in the hope Of finding a mar
ket, and as we could not absorb It. the price
has naturally gone down. Those who
produced most have lost most, and at pres
eut can see no sign Of relief. In fact, the
outlook for quinine is rs bad IS ii well can
he, cxcept 20 the consumer