The San Francisco call., 1906-08-26
His Factories to Become
a Part of the Diamond
Match Company's Trust
LATTER'S AGENT
ORIENT BOUND
Long Pending Negotiations
End in Consolidation Of
Big National Industries

Russell Hawkins of New York. vice
president of the Diamond Match Com
pany. has telegraphea to the st. Fran
els Hotel for accommodations for Sep
ttmber %. when he will arrive here on
his way 20 the Orient on an important
mission TO Toxic. Japan has entered
into compact with the Diamond Match
Company with a view TO forming an
international trust of the match prod
uct of the two continents, taking into
the combine the English match concern
dominated by Bryant and May.
Negotiations for the formation of a
combine have heen in progress since
the Russo japanese war and were
started by Russell Hawkins, who was
sent to japan a year ago by President
Barber of the Diamond Match Company
The trust will be in form but not in
name. for to avoid many possible
troubles that are ever annoying sim
liar combines in this country and Eng
land the interests Of the former will
be conducted under separate names in
different countries. Las age. at present
-lhe interests of the Diamond Match
Company in this country and the Brit.
ish Empire.
AMERICANS own COMPANY.
While Bryant and May ostensibIy
control the match industry of Great
Britain, they are in reality part of
the American concern. which holds 81
per cent Of the stock of the British
company. Their representative is now
in the East comforting with President
Barber OF the Diamond Match Com
rany regarding the proposed consol-
idation with the Japan match interests.
and also the appointment of a general
manager of the American compa ny's
properties at Chico and on the>South
American ccast. to ill the vacancy Gre
ated hy the recent death OF General
Manager Graves. Vice President Haw-
lSins is attending this meeting. and will
start westward as soon as it has ended.
Japan has for a number OF years
carefully nursed the matchmaking in
dustry of that empire. and is an i'm
portant factor in the distribution OF
the proouct throughout the Far East
The factories OF the empire at first
were increased in capacity so as to
meet the entire consumption of Japan,
and later were further enlarged in or
der TO compete with foreign manufac-
turers in China, Australia, a part of
Eastern India and the Philippines
Eventually it gained control of the
match trade In those countries, finally
adding Manchuria and holding them all
as its particular territory.
CONTROL OF BUSINESS.
The Diamond Match Company has
controlled the business of the United
States and South America, with fac
tories distributed throughout the East
and California and in Lima and valpa-
raiso, and Its English branch has taken
care of Great Britain, Germany and
South Africa. While Japan has keenly
appreciated the firm hold it had upon
the match trade in what it Is pleased
to call it's own Territory, it has been
quick TO realize that Its match-makers
are deficient in the knowledge and use
of modern match manufacturing ma
chinery, and for the purpose OF bene-
fiting itself in this direction Il enter
tained the proposition of the Diamond
Match Company and its English con-
cern to unite the three great interests
To perfect these arrangements Vice
President Hawkins Is going to Japan
on the invitation Of the japanese au-
thorities. carrying with him all the
necessary papers. which are now being
prepared at the meeting in the East
and which 1t Is expected the Japanese
will ratify when the Diamond Match
Company's representative reaches To-
kio.