Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-02


itself mainly into one of distribution.
i has been possible with the free use
OF the reserves to satisfy, at all events
pominally, the country's requirements,
owing to the impossibiIity of export
ling sugar for the most part The alb
normal state OF affairs that has been a
feature of the trade for months now
appears 10 persist with unmitigatet
gravity For want of organization
many consuming centers, including
capital towns, and some that are. cens
tiers of sugar production. have had to
pass considerable periods during
which private consumers could obtain
only nominal quantities OF sugar; and
sometimes none at all Although the
generally distributed scarcity is as
cribed principally to Speculation and
disorganized transport services. the
mere fact that the supply is hut little
more than the demand makes it easy
ito understand that even without specu-
lation it would require very deli
cately adjusted service of distribution
to ensure fair play all around in the
matter of supply; and unfortunately
Russia cannot claim efficiency in its
transport or distribution services.
Prohibition Causes Demand
There are two causes tnat contri-
butte very substantially to the general
ly experienced insufficiency of sugar
One is permanent, namely, the reduc-
ed drinking habits of the people and
consequently increased expenditure of
money on sugar and the other tenn
porary, namely. the heavy demand OF
the army. which must count as per-
manent until the war is brought to a
close. Another effect of the war has
been to reduce the production, apart
from the fact that many factories have
been disabled through the German
occupation of Russian territory
Through the Discrimination of the pea
SAINTS to SOW beets. because amongst
ether things labor is scarce and ex-
pensive, the area devoted to beet
root this year is very appreciably less
than in former years. Thus all fac
tors combine to bring about mate
rally reduced sugar production in the
1867 campaign On the other hand,
the consumption has risen rapidly in
Russia, and threatens to surpass the
supply
Vladivostok Is Available Port
So long as difficulties continue in
supplying the inland market VITA
home produced sugar. foreign markets
are naturally looked to. The only port
through which Russia. can find relief
is Vladivostok. Archangel is too much
engaged militarily, and Vladivostok is
none too we'll organized for either ex-
port or import But the japanese are
in a. position, which they are stated to
be using, to send in both their own
and Java sugars, and il is announced
that American sugar has found its way
into Russia through yladivostok. 1t is
probable that unless requisitioned by
the government, any outside sugar
reaching Far Eastern ports will not
proceed far inland, as even if the con-
gestion that now afflicts Vladiyostok
is removed, delivery could only be
made inland several months after be-
ing landed Further, the foreign mar
kets being themselves deprived of
such sugar as the Continent used to
export, Russia can only hope to- re-
ceive sugar from abroad by paying
handsomely.
While it is difficult to forecast the
near future of the sugar industry in
Russia, it appears at the moment to
be considerable time before Russia
will be in q position to send sugar to
other countries.