The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-28
CAMPHOR COLLECTORS KILLED
Pertls That Environ the Industry In the
Nilds OF FOrmOsa.

A despatch from Toxic says that a cam
phor refinery at Gillian. in the island of For
mosa, was attacked recently by $50 of the
wild natives, who killed the Japanese work.
men and the policemen who were guarding
them. II was a small establishment, and
the victims numbered only eleven per-
sons, but the tragedy illustrates the perils
of the camphor industry in that island.
Few industries Of the world are carried
on under conditions no difficult and dan
gerous as camphor collecting and refining
in Formosa There is great deal more
tragedy than romance about it. and cam
phor is obtained only by Drawing these
| dangers. for nearly all the worlds sup
ply comes from Formosa.
Japan and China together produce only
about 100000 pounds year, but the an
nual yield of Formosa Is from G,o0O.oo0 to
7,OOO0OO pounds. Formosa controls the
camphor markets of the world and will
probably always be the greatest source OF
this valuable gum. The world has to pay
more for camphor than it did few years
60, and one reason Is the danger and diff
Guilty of collecting it,
The tree-cad mountains of the east part
of the island contain the largest camphor
forests in the world. They are also the
| home of sava ge tribes that have never been
| subdued.
| Nearly half Of Formosa is still! occupied
| BY these inurderous men Of the forests
whose weapons are turned against all stran-
gers. Thus the forests present very dif-
ferent conditions from the peaceful plains
to the west, inhabited largely by Chinese
rice growers.
The men who collect the camphor have
| to work among these treacherous natives
| The camphor camps are scattered for 40
| miles north and south. The worklnen
| themselves are well armed. but the natives
| do not hesitate to attack them unless
they are in considerab numbers or are
strong ly guarded by Japanese police.
| There s glory for the natives in killing
these intruders in their forests and, further
more, the camp equipment and the food
supplies are the legitimate spoil Of war.
At last accounts the Japanese Govern
ment had a force Of 1900 policemen and
soldiers guarding the camphor camps and
cscorting the parties that carry the gum
| out Of the forests. But in spite of all pre-
cautions. conflicts are of frequent
| occurrence.
| Campaigning among these mountains
covered with tropical jungle is almost
impossible, and this Is the reason why the
Japanese Government has not attempted
to end the conflict by sending large force
against the natives. If the Government
| should attempt to do 80 the natives could
| not be found. Only they can move with
celebrity among their mountains and they
could easily elude and bafflc all pursuers.
or course the Government adds the cost
Of the protection 1t affords to the price Of
the commodity, and this is one reason why
camphor is held at a high price. Another
reason is that the Japanese have made
camphor a Government monopoly, and 1t
turns a large profit into the national
treasury
1t is not difficult to obtain a permit to
collect camphor, but not a pound can he
sold except to the Government which fixes
the price to be paid for it, The Government
also erdeavors 10 keep the market price at
a good round figure by limiting the amount
to be sent TO the markets, and 1t will not buy
a pound in excess of this limit.
But while the world has to pay for the
camphor monopoly, the Japanese Govern
ment is entitled to credit for its efforts to
! maintain the industry and preserve the
sources OF supply. While the Chinese
were still masters Of Formosa the camphor
forests We're gradually growing smaller,
because the tree is killed TO collect the gum
and nothing was done to make good the
timber destroyed,
The Japanese. on the other hand, re-
ollire that tree shall he planted for every
| one that is destroyed. and the Govern
mcnt is also establishing plantations Of
cumphor trees. 50 that Formosa is expected,
in the, near future. to yield large quantities
Of cultivated camphor as we'll as the wild
y,vnd,,Ct