The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-22
CAMPHOR MONOPOLY.
1t Is in the Hands of the Formosan
Government.


Japan took over as result Of her war
with China, controls the worlds cam
phor supply. The Japanese annual pro-
| duction has dwindled to 100000 pounds;
| the Chinese yield never exceeded 22O 600
| pounds, while the Formosan supply, in
creasing yearly, reached 100000 pounds
| in 1895, and the yield for the last five
years has ranged over 100000 pounds.
To take full advantage of this favora-
BILE situation, says James w. Davidson,
our consul at Tamsui. the government
| has placed the manufacture under its
! control and made the sale of camphor
| a monopoly. The government appears
| to have two objects in view-frst, in
creased revenue, and, second, more
| complete control over the camphor for
ests. That both these objects might have
! been attained by the establishment Of
some more liberal system than a mo-
nopoly is probable; but the government
| has given much thought and study in the
| last four years to the camphor problem,
| and, claiming the Formosa forests as the
| property of the crown, the system of ex-
elusive control of the sale of camphor
| appears to the authorities the most salts
factory solution. The production OF
| camphor being confined almost exclusive
| ly to Japan, no opposition-at least for
many years-is to be feared. As to the
| control of the camphor forests, the need
| for some more efficient system of protec-
! ton for the border residents against the
attacks Of the savages and the necessity
of some method of forestry to prevent
| the total destruction Of the camphor
trees have long been apparent.
| To control the savages, line Of 1,50O
armed guards will be distributed along
the border for 140 miles and they will
try to afford protection to camphor work
| ers in the forest and to the occupants or
the border villages. The government
will lay out beds of young camphor trees
| In Tokoham CTaikokan), Lamshun (Nan-
| sho) and other camphor districts. Young
camphor trees growing in the forest,
which formerly were cut down for fuel
by the camphor workers, and shoots
growing from camphor stumps will be
protected and their destruction strictly
forbidden.
The manufacture within certain limits
is not to be interfered with, but the
entire production must be sold to the
government at certain fixed price the
maximum rate at present for the govern
ment standard crude being SIS to lSS
ponds. The government names the maxi
mum amount to be produced; 5,S2o,OOO
pounds will probably be the amount for
this year. This Is with the object of
keeping the production within such lin
its as will prevent the markets being
oyersuppiied, thus supporting the high
prices which the government desires to
obtain.
To effect this reduction in amount the
direct interference of the government IN
closing stores will probably not be re-
duired, as the price paidsto the. manutac-
turers is so low that many. Disabling
plants will voluntarily be abandoned by
their owners. "a
A vigorous attempt is being made by
the government to raise the quality OF the
Fofnosan prod etiar1, which In the past
has been notably dirty and oily giving
t1,ei erroneous idea abroad that 1t pos
sessed some inherent defect making 1t IN
ferior to Japanese camphor In crystallz-
ing power. Standard samples have been
issued to camphor manufacturers, with
iniunctions that their production must
equal the sample in quality to be conslo-
cred first grade.
The procedure by which the trade De-
tween the manufacturer and the govern
mcnt will be conducted is this: Upon the
camphor being brought to any or tne
various Offices it will be inspected by an
examiner who will declare It's grace ana
weight and issue to the original holder
a certificate which, on the camphor be-
ing placed in the government warehouse
can be exchanged for a check on the
TaiWan- bank covering the value of the
purchase, which the holder can present
to the bank for payment without furtner
Endorsement This closes the transaction.
IF the purchase has been made at one
of the up-country stations, the govern
ment will transport the camphor at It's
own expense to the head office at Ial-
hoku. where the so-called ''camphor FAC
tory" has been erected. Here the
camphor is removed from Its temporary
packing cases and redistilled. The pro-
duct now free of foreign matter and oil,
is placed under heavy hydraulic pressure
and formed into blocks weighing about
1888 pounds The blocks are wrapped in
oiled paper and packed IN zlnc-lined
cases holding ten, and then are ready
for shipment.
The government in reality acts as
middleman 1t buys the eamphor from
the manufacturer and sells it to special
ly appointed agent, who supplies the
consumer.
The enforcement of the monopoly dates
from Aug. 5, 1885, but as there were
large stocks of camphor stored in For
mosa owned by private firms, the dis
posaI of which was not interfered with
by the government, there was sufficient
camphor to supply the demand for the
rest of last summer and fall. Conse-
quently, although the government bought
caYnphor as offered, no sale was to he
made until this year.
On March "a, 1900, tenders We're called
for from firms-Japanese land foreign
which were DESTROYS of obtaining the
sole selling agency of Formosa camphor
and an English agency got the prize.
The prices which will be asked for the
drug abroad have been announced as fol-
lows: For "a" grade camphor blocks
in London, Hamburg and New York.
$50 go for 1S3 pounds, exclusive of import
duties, if any. For crude camphor- $49. s.
will be the price abroad. The government
will receive from the selling agents $42 90
the 135 pounds for the crude and $47.50
for the "a grade. It has been estimated
roughly that the government expense in
preparing the ga" or semi-reilned,
camphor, providing for So per cent loss in
weight and other expenses in connection
with the monopoly, Will average about
$3.50 the 1913 pounds, and, though 1t Is
at present somewhat premature to state
figures as to the probable resulting profit,
considering that the monopoly.-is of SO
recent creation, the figures appearing in
the government budget are doubtless ap-
proximate though some slight changes
have been made in the system of mo-
nopoly working since the budget was
framed In the budget the total ex-
penses, including cost of canophor, are
given as SIT picul Q33 pounds). This
is taking the probable production for
the year at $4,000 piculs. The income to
the government from the Ganphor in
about 100000 year.
Affairs in the East
May be looked after promptly when you
go there on the Atlantic Express, the
North Western Lines" night, train