The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-10-16
The Ivory Trade.


There is no doubt in the world but that
American trade is being admirably served
BY. American consuls in every part Of the
world. The reports which these gentlemen
send are not only written in an interesting
manner, but embrace nearly every subject
that can be of service to the industrial oc
cupations of any country. Among recent
reports is one by Mr.. Consul Webster on
ivory so far as it relates to the Sheffield
cutlery trade; and as his report embraces
nearly every matter connected with this
trade-though some of his figures are not
very new-the facts cannot fail to be of in
terest to this country also. From the re-
port, it appears that in 1880 there were
imported 13,435 cwt. of ivory from the
following countries: British East Indies
sent us 1872 cwt.; west cost of Africa, 2
80 cwt.; Egypt, 1908 cwt.; British pos
sessions in South Africa, LIZA cwt.; the
native States, east coast of Africa, l,O99
cwt.; Alden, 693 cwt: France, 6l2 cwt;
Holland, 431 cwt.; Malta, All cwt.; Portu
guese possessions, West Africa, 36l cwt;
British possessions, West Africa 162 cwt.,
and all other countries, 1867 cwt.
Malta is the port of shipment to Eng
land of ivory that finds its way TO Friipoii
and other points on the north coast OF
Africa. To Holland, ivory is brought
from her possessions on the coast of Afri-
ca. France receives but little except what
has been purchased in England, portions
of which are sometimes returned. The
Bombay, Siam, and Zanzibar ivory is
bought for the making of piano kneys, cary
ings, and other expensive articles of lux
ury. All ivory from the east coast of
Africa, except the Cape, comes through
Zanzibar, and pays royalty to the sultan.
This is known to the trade by mark-a
rude figure of an elephant that is put
upon it after the payment of this royalty.
Mr. Webster calls attention to the fact that
this mark is often erased from tusks that
are to be sent to the United States from
the English sales, and suggests that this is
done to prevent Identification, and evade
the extra duty chargeable on all goods the
produce of countries east of the Cape of
Good Hope, when imported from places
west of the Cape of Good Hope 1t will
be news to most of us in this country that
the United States thus tries to prohibit,
were possible, the purchase of raw material
through the European markets.
Mammoth tusks of ivory occasionally
come to this country from Siberia; but as
these have been lying exposed for centu-
ries, and probably for many thousands of
years, and often buried in ice, the nature"
has gone out of them, and they are not fit
for the cutters use The teeth of the wal
rus and the hippopotamus are used in con-
siderable quantity, and being Of suitable
size, are used whole for making expensive
carved handles Ivory of the best quality
comes from the west coast of Africa, under
the names of CAMERON, Angola, and Ga
boon ivory. This is brought down from
the interior, and retains larger proportion
of the 'fat' or gelatine, from the fact,
probably, that it is more recently from the
animal In this state it is called ''green" :"
ivory. 1t is more translucent, and not so
white as the Egyptian and other kinds,
called ''white" ivory, that have been lying
longer time and in more sandy region,
and exposed to the heat of the sun until
the animal matter has disappeared. The
excellence of the ''green' ivory consists in
its greater toughness and in its growing
whittier by age, instead of yellow, as is the
case with the whittier varieties. Yet buy
ers of cutlery, through ignorance of these
qualities, usually prefer the whittier kinds,
which on that account are more in demand
for the Sheffield trade, and have more than
doubled in price since 1879. The sales of
ivory occur every three months at London
and Liverpool, and sales are also held to a
limited extent and at irregular intervals at
Rotterdam At Liverpool, only ivory Of
the best quality, and from the west coast
of Africa, is offered. Buyers from Ger
many and France and agents of American
consumers attend these sales; and it is es-
timated that about one-quarter of the whole
amount goes to Sheffield, another quarter
to London, and the other half to Germany,
France, and the United States.