Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-08-19
AN EUROPEAN COMBINE.

SuSCIGu USIWSSu luS S&ohooio VII
company OF the United States and
aGerman transportation company
for the distribution of American
and Russian oil, throughout Ger
many, 1t was the Shell Transport
and Trading company that was the
principal factor. There are other
companies that have vigilant eyes
upon the European trade beside
the Standard. The parties to the
new combination are both well and
favorably known to the CONNER
cial world. The German end Of 1t
Is the large firm of Gehig, Wachen-
helm & Co, which has been one of
the most active agents In intrcduc
Ing Russian oil In Germany. The
union of interests of the two con-
Germs Is not to the advantage OF
the American refined oil and Is
destined to create powerful rival
to the Deutsche Amerikanische
Gesellschaft, which represents the
Standard Oil company inGermany.
Of the new combination the Lon
don petroleum Review says:
The arrangements which the
Shell company has made with
Messrs Gshlig, Wachenhetm & Co.,
include the acquisition of this firms
storage accommodation at Batorm,
their refinery at Baku, and the
storage and distribution facilities in
Germany and Holland. In the mat
ter of supply, large Russian pro
ducts are to support the Shell com.
pany. This combination for pro-
duction, refining and storage, sup
plemented by the powerful organi-
cation for transporting and dis
tributing the oil which the Shell
company provides, is one (which
should prove an incalculable
value to the oil trade OF Russia.
The condition of the trade In oil
between Russia and Germany and
America and Germany during the
years 1900 and 1901 IS shown by
the following figures. representing
the imports into Germany from
the two countries:
Refined.
1900. 1901.
From Gallons. Gallons.
Russia. 1o,I8I,116 18,o7745o
America 1I4,336,S52 123.657,54o
Russia has, therefore, been losing
ground In Germany during these
years, while American oil has made
a great advance, a condition Of
things which should be remedied
by the handling of the business by
the Shell company. The figures
also indicate how large a. field
there is for the Russian product If
the business Is conducted properly,
more especially as the German
authorities are favorably disposed
towards the product of the Euro
pean fields.
Thus, the new combination
seems destined to create greater
rivalry than ever between the pro-
duct of the American and Russian
oil fields. The superior qualities
of the American oil and the bust
ness acumen of the energetic repre-.
sentatives of America firms may
still be counted on as powerful fac
tors in our favor. Nevertheless, it
Is likely for some time to have
bad effect upon the prices Amerl-
can manufacturers can obtain for
their refined products In Europe.
The above from the Standard
Oil company's Oil City sheet con-
veys the idea that the oil produc-
ers may expect no better for their
oil. This being the case the oil pro-
ducers may as we'll commence to
curtail operating expenses where
ever practicable as they have for a
long period conducted their opera
lions on the hope" that they
would receive better prices. The
editor of the Standards sheet does
not attempt to convey the idea that
Standard OIL Co. dividends will
be all reduced by reason of the
threatened strengthened competl-
ton resulting from the alleged COM
bination of interests between the
Shell company of London and the
Russians, therefore, 1t seems quite