The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-24
RUBBER TRADE Less
Bordeaux Loses It's Hold ON
World Product.
LOSS THOUGHT TEMPORARY
Once Had Hopes of SuppIantinE
Liverpool, Antwerp, and Hamburg.
Causes Leading to slump OF Trade
fR 19O7-AduIteratiOns Serious Fac
tor In the Situation.

Bordeaux has become the principal out
let for the rubber product Of the French
colonies in Africa, but The prospect OF
its suppIanting Liverpool Antwerp. or
Hamburg seems remote For several
years rubber Imports 70 Bordeaux largely
and steadily increased. but with the be-
ginning Of 1907 there was noted quite n
falling of. similar state OF affairs con
tlnuing In 1898.
Opinions differ rs TO the causes for this
condition. some ascribing it TO the almost
universal slump in trade consequent
upon the financial crisis in the United
States Chile. Mexico. Germany, Argen-
tina. and Denmark Others think II due
TO the fact that the African rubber for
a time showed such a deterioration in
quality that the demand senslbly les
sened.
Crude Rubber Imports.
In the year 1889. when its Importation
became important. Bordeaux received Ia
tons Of crude rubber. In 1872. the receipts
increased 10 90 tons. in 1903 II ran I'd 10
lib tons; in 1891 10 lis tons: IN 1915 10
1.S5O tons. and In 1905 10 1915 tons. With
the beginning Of 1877. the Importation be-
gan 10 decline somewhat. there having
been imported in that year but I.576 tons.
In the present year, the falling of has
been noticeable also: the total amount
received from January 70 October 81
having been S0S tons. against LIS tons
for the same period IN 1877.
The importers seem confident that the
decline is only temporary and they think
that with the removal Of the causes that
have operated unfav0rably there viii be
a decided Improvement. Changed con-
ditiOns En- the United States are hailed a.
an Indication Of greatly increased ac-
tivity IN crude rubber as IN other
branches Of trade. Then the great i'm
provement IN the quality az the product
OF the African fields. due 70 the energetic
government measures adopted 70 prevent
fraud, have resulted in better quality OF
rubber
AduIteration of Supplies.
The native growers in Africa not only
learned to hold their supplies Of rubber
for a higher market. but they also de-
veloped ideas OF fraud and adulteration.
many OF them, before bringing in their
rubber 20 the trading posts for sale,
thoroughly STEPPED the fresh gum in
water, a process that added 20 the weieht.
but seriously injured its quality.
As far back as 1900. so keen was the
demand that European buyers in Africa
were forced to accept the supplies brought
to them By the natives without too close
ly examining the rubber. II was soon
found that about . per cent Of the en-
tire supply was adulterated. The blacks
brought to the traders quantities Of rub
Der. which. besides being mixed with
common gums. had other foreign sub
stances, such as sand, stones. and earthly
matter. concealed in the center OF the
Jumps
The government authorities, with a
view Of stopping this practice. required
al Jumps 20 be- cut in half before being
offered for sale. whereupon the blacks
proceeded 70 add 10 the weight Of the
half pieces in the same way. actually
increasing the evil In a large quantity
offered at one Of the stations last year
some OF the "boules" (or Iumps) &C
tually contained - per cent Of foreign
matter, the entire lot averaging but s.
per cent Of genuine caoutchouc.
Conditions became so serious that the
French government was compelled to
adopt most drastic measures OF repress-
ion. with immediate beneficial results
Government schools were also eStab-
hshed. where the blacks are taught how
TO cultivate the fields and how to i'm
prOve the quality Of the r~of7rfcr