The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-07-21

Engish oIticers from man of war went
up into the mountains and met a party of
natives armed with matchlOcks They
challenged the natives 10 trial of skid
ln shooting A target was affixed TO a
tree about so feet distant and the Eng
lishmen made what they considered pref
ty fair practice The natives looked on
without any apparent establishment at
the skill OF their rivals. When It came
their turn to fire every man of them dis
appeared into the jungle. They craWled
on their stOmachs until about nine Ieet
from the target ana blaZed away OF
course, they all hit the target in the CEN
ter When the Englishmen protested that
this method of conducting Il shooting
match was hardly fair, the natives re-
we do not understand what you mean
by fair; but, anyhow, that is the way we
shoot Cinnamon
The men who collect most of the cam
phor of the world have to work among
these tTeacherOus devils. They are seat
up into the mountains. pitch their tents
in the CamDhOr forests and deDsnd upon
their guns and their vigilance to protect
them from savage enemies But though
their wits are sharpened by their ever
present danger, whole parties of them are
sometimes slaughtered. The history of
the camphOr industry OF FormOSa mas
many of these tragic Incidents Though
armed guards stand over the men while
they are telling the trees and extracting
the gum, they may be attacked any mo-
ment. unless the SaVageS consider the
force before them TO be too strong for
them to overcome. Great is thsdr 10y
when they clean out a campnOT camp AL
the camp equipment and the food supplies
are the legitimate SPOTS of war: so there
is profit as well as glory in the murderoUs
business. The work OF getting the cam
Dbor down into the plains is even more
dangerous than collecting it. The paths
are narrow and the carriers. walking IN
long single file, can present no strong
front to the natives concealed along the
way A strong escort front and rear
beating the bushes and scrub for the foe
who may be lurking there, IS always nee
essary 10 insure safety
When the Japanese became fairly set
tied in the island last year they deter
mined to put an end, If possible, TO the
dangers that beset the camphOr Industry
AS 8 preliminary step, they detailed LOU
soldiers 10 guard the campnOr camps anC
convoy the parties that carry the gum out
of the forests In these camps. Scatteret
north and south among the mountains
for q distance of 40 miles, the men are
/ working today guarded by a part OF tht
Japanese army. Thus war and industry
are curiOusly combined in the island OF
FOrmOsa. As rule when armed meT
are around looking for somebody to shoot
there can be no such thing as industry II
their neighbOrhOOd. Peaceful labor anC
the exploits Of war are not cOngenla
COMPANIONS But among the forests OF
/ Fornosa the soldier is becoming the val
liable adjunct of industry, and 1t coulC
not thrive very well without him. Th'
! japanese government proposes 10 use any
force that may be required TO place tn'
great camphOT business on a safe basis
but the cost of protecting the camDhOl
| SathereTs is added to the cost Of the com
modify. and there seems to be no reason
to complain that this is not fair to al
concerned
This is the principal reason why the
| price of camphor has advanced There
/ is another reason for 1t also, and it may
be said that the price Is likely TO cOuuHut
Q q good figure Japan, ike France a4o
] Spain. is DESTROYS to obtain monopoly
| in one or more commodities That VII
bring a large revenue into the govern
ment trCasury. How could a monopoly
I he more ca sflv eSta bliShed than in the a.
! ticle of camphCr. the whole supply Of
which is practically confined to one Jap
aaeSe isIand2 So the authorities declares
( a while ago that thenceforth the cam
/ phOr industry should be government
Anyone may collect camphor today WIZ
can secure d permit to do so and permits
are not difficult 10 obtain But not
/ pound of the product can be sold to am
! one but the government which fixes tile
D price to be paid. The price is. said fullS
/ to compensate the collectors, but a lin
/ itatiOD upon the amount Of the product
/ will prevent too many collectors iron
( crOWdng into the field The government
names the maximum amount 10 be pro
] dUced and will not buy pound in exces
Of the limit 1t was said a while az
I that the amount to be produced this yea
I would not exceed 1000 piculs (5,5I0OU
/ pounds. As Japan does not intend tina
I the market shall be oVersuppled- ther'
/ seems to be TO prospect OF any large
fIuctuatiOn in future prices.
/ The world will 0rUfIt at least by tn,
/ efforts Of Japan 10 preserve an industry
{ which, a few years ago, seemed threat
ened with Ultimate extinction. IL
necessary to kill the tree in order to gel
] the gum. Contrary to all previous prac
/ tfce, a. tree is now planted for every one
! that is killed Japan requires this to %
] done. and, moreover. is establishing
/ plantations of camphOr trees so thai
| FormOsa, it is expected, viii in a few
years yield both. wild and cultivated
camDhOr.