The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-01

years the demand for ivory has been so
great that an extraordinary stimulus has
been given TO elephant hunting. and these
animals are now almost extinct in regions
Where they formerly abounded. In Guinea,
at one time known as the ivory country,
elephants are now as scarce as they we're
Formerly numerous. and the same Is said
TO be the case in Cape Colony, Ceylon,
Bengal and other ivory districts.
The sources from which nearly all the
IVORY that now comes into the market, is
obtained are Zanzibar and Malta, the Cape
Colony, and the east coast OF Africa. The
largest proportion of the supply is obtain
ed from the African elephant, the Indian
species yielding a comparatively small
quantity. Zanzibar and the east coast
ivory are the varieties most highly valued
in commerce, and the African variety at
all times constitutes the bulk of the i'm
portations
Nearly 60 per cent Of all the ivory inn
ported from the producing countries goes
TO the greatest of all ivory markets Lon
don, where quarterly sales are held of the
material. It is estimated that 10000 ee-
plants have to be killed annually TO fur
nish the demands Of the English market
alone.
In addition to the supply sent to Lon
don there are also the exports to the minor
markets of Europe and this country. and
the quantities consumed in the producing
NbhBNAitS themselves. WHelG some OF the
finest and heaviest teeth are retained by
the chiefs as trophies of the chase or orna-
ments to their temples. houses or tombs
The annual importation OF ivory into this
country is about 10000 tusks whose aver
age weight viii mot evceed fifty pounds
Does ivory differ much in quaty?"
It differs from something like $3.50 for
an East African tusk to the value of so
many cents, and often nothing. for an In
dian elephants tusk East African ivory
Us easily distinguished from the Indian or
West African article. The East African
material is known in the trade as soft or
white ivory and is the product of East
Africa from Egypt down to the cape This
ivory is particularly well adapted for use
in the manufacture of pianoforte keys,
billiard balls and combs Hard or trans
parent ivory is nearly all imported from
the west coast Of Africa the Gaboop and
Ambriz districts from Lagos and Angola
show a coarser texture. The clear varie-
ties OF ivory which come from these re-
glons are chiefly used for knife cane and
umbrella handles, while the finer portions
are used for prayer book covers. the statu-
cites are usually formed from West Afri-
can ivory, its rosy transparency render
ing 1t especially adapted to the repre-
sentation Of flesh tints.
Inc tusks of the elephant. which make
their appearance soon after the loss of
NAN hhAAh A@tAls are INFLOW at the DdSet
the hollow tapeTng to a point, from which
to the extremity OF the tooth extends a
mass of solid ivory. The usual length OF a
full-grown tusk Is from six TO seven feet
and their average weight is from fifty
to one hundred pounds. In exceptional
cases, however, they have been known to
weigh from one hundred and fifty to one
hundred and seventy pounds, and TO meas
ure from eight to nine feet in length
owing to the scarcity of ivory, and the
consequent high price of the article the
greatest economy is nowadays exercised
in Ivory factories In cutting up the tusks
The hollow at the base of the tusks is first
cut off, and is used for cylinders and rings
The balance of the tusk Is carefully cut
into blocks with a fine saw. The dust
and scraps which result from the saving
are saved, the latter being converted into
buttons tips, etc, while the former is
used in making the ivory block for copper
plate printing. When sold. ivory scraps
and dust realize from 10 cents to 800 per
pound.
THE ivory used In the manufacture OF
billiard balls Is taken from the solid part
of the tuisks Of suitable size. 1t Is only,
however, from certain kinds Of tusks that
biliard-ball ivory can be obtained, and
these tuslSs rank high In point of CONNER
cial value. In order to be suitable for this
purpose, IL Is necessary that the tusks
have sufficient circumference to afford the
two required diameters of the ball. When
the elephant tusks arrive al the factory
they are first cut up into blocks of the re-
| quisite dimensions and turned roughly In
a lathe.
After the balls have been partially
turned by the cutters. and before the final
cutting and polishing, II Is Indispensable,
owing to the tendency Of ivory to shrink,
that the balls should undergo careful sea-
soning, without which they are liable to
lose superiority. Consequently they are
placed in a canvas bag and hung up to
become thoroughly seasoned. Then when
an order comes up for one or a dozen sets
Of balls they are taken from the bags. re-
ground and polished for the table.
1.-THE use to which ivory Is most largely
put In the United States is In the manu-
facture of piano and organ keys. over
So 900 pianos and as many more harmoni-
ums and organs are annually manufac-
tured In this country. and a large amount
of ivory OF the best quality is consumed
IN making keys for these instruments. Re-
peated efforts have been made TO suppiant
ivory for use In pianoforte and organ
keys by employing alabaster and porce-
lain.
Both OF these and many other cheaper
substitutes which have been tried have,
however, utterly failed to satisfactorily
replace ivory. and no really good substi-
tute has as yet been discovered. Most OF
the pianoforte manufacturers buy the raw
material from the importing firms and
turn their own keys. The importing bus
mess In this country is In the hands Of
about a dozen firms. There are several
large ivoRy-turning establishments In New
York city and Connecticut, and the trade
gives employment to several thousand
skilled workmen."