The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-31
DOLLAR TIN" MAY
RANK WITH SILVER
Recent Quotations Anticipate Frices
That VIII Near Those OF the
Precious Metals.

Recent quotations or doIIar
pound for tin in the markets OF New
York suggest that this highly neces
sary product. for which the United
states is dependent upon mines at the
opposite side OF the globe. may soon
rank with the precious metals TIN
fmportations into the United States,
according 10 a compilation by the
National City Bank of New York.
averaged 1919 cents per pound In
value in 1877. 27.23 cents in 1900,
3052 cents in 1870 S9.97 cents IN
1917. and 59+ cents in April, 1919
responded TO a recent jump of $50 per
ton In London, with quotations IN the
New York markets of 81 90 per pound
for spot Banca." though the import
prices above quoted relate TO the cost
or selling price of the tin in the mar
kets from which imported into the
United States and not those In the
New York markets.
"Banca" tin, mined In the little
islands of Banca. Just of the coast OF
Java, has been reaching the United
States OF late across the Pacific IN
stead OF by way of the Mediterranean
AS under normal conditions: and this
Is also true of part of the TIN OF
the MalaSan Peninsula. and the COM
paratively small quantity Of tin now
icing drawn from mines in China,
which are reported at the present
time as out of the market on account
Of floods" which prevent transporta-
lion TO the Hongkong smelters-
Tin continues TO be. despite this
remarkable advance in prices in re-
cent years, greatly in demand by the
industries of the United States. chiefly
for use in the manufacture of tinplate,
Of which the United States Is now
turning out over 100. 100000 worth
annually Fer all OF this and the
other industries using tin the United
States is dependent in large part upon
the mines on the opposite side of the
, globe though considerable quantities
are now being drawn from our South
American neighbor. Bolivia. which
produces nearly one third of the tin
Of the world, but exports II as con
centrates'' owing to lack of fuel for
use in smelling.
All efforts to successfully develop
tin production in the United states,
which now uses about one-half of the
| tin mined in the world, have thus
far been unsuccessful. The extremely
small quantities found in Alaska and
other parts of the country have been
insufficient to supply even one per
cent OF the steadily increasing
IQdHkitS requiem ~ WI AiiAoNi VS.
The quantity of tin imported into the
! United States has grown from IS
600. 900 pounds in 1880 to 10000, 600
pounds in 1900; l01 100000 pounds in
1910. and approximately 100000
pounds in 1917. plus 10000 tons OF
tin ore valued at about 100000
This importation of tine as ore is a
comparatively new feature in our tin
supply. though the United States has
been, during he past two years.
bringing tin ore for smelling in this
country from Bolivia. which formerly
sent all OF her tin ore to Europe for
smelling.
The value of the tin imported into
the country since the beginning of
the tinplate industry in 1Se3 has ag-
gregated approximately $500. 600, 600,
about 90 per cent of II used in the
manufacture of tinplate, of which the
production in the United States has
grown from 100000 pounds in 1892
/ 10 900, 100000 in 1903: 1000. 600, 600
in 1912, and 2.766, 4ol.221 pounds in
1917.
With the large growth In our pro-
duction of tinplate has come an even
more startling growth in the expor-
tation of that article. The value of
the exports of domestic tinplate
amounted in the fiscal year 1898 to
less than 81 900, in 1898 $1,000. 600
! and in the fiscal year 1918 over $780,
| 600, 900. OF this large expectation IN
1915 about 100000 worth went 10
Argentina: IS. 900, goo worth to Japan;
! SIS. 100000 worth to Italy; $4,000. 900
| worth to Canada. and approximately
| 100000 worth to the Straits Set
Elements and the Dutch East Indies.
! from which we drew most of the tin
used in manufacturing the tinplate.
The growth in world production of
aluminium, which has been suggested
as possible substitute for tin in Ger.
tain lines, has been much more rapid
/ in racen. wears than that of tin. TIN
| production OF the world grew from
1920 tons in 1900 to 1l7,50D tons
| in 1916, while aluminium production
grew from 1900 tons in 1900 to
| 1876. goo tons in 1916. and what is even
more important to us of the United
States is the fact that more than half
| q the worlds aluminium is produced
| il. this country while as above indi-
Gated. we are entirely dependent upon
| foreign countries for tin.
Rcd Cross Nurse.
! Lynchburg, Va. July 30--Miss
Rosa Woodson. daughter OF Mrs. r.
| Y. Woodson, of this city. has been
~ a