New-York tribune., 1918-02-24
y. S. Is Importing
More Rubber From
East Indies Direct
Shipping Difficulties Cause Loss
of Trade to London
Market

The United States stands out more
preeminently than ever as the worlds
largest consumer Of crude rubber, ac-
London "Times." Shipments from Lon
don and the East Indies 20 the United
States now total we'll over Y25,0oO tons
a year. One of the features of the
great increase in the shipments direct
to the United States from the East
Indies, the result of the great difficulty
of obtaining tonnage for carrying the
clearing house for that commodity
London has lost ground in this respect,
and there is now growing up in the
East an important first hand market
which is likely to assume larger pro-
portions as time goes on.
Larger Production Estimated
Production of plantation rubber in
1917 is estimated by an English au-
thority at 216,000 tons, compared with
10000 tons in 1916, an increase of 43
per cent, and the 1916 production
showed an increase over 1915 of 40 per
cent. For the next three years the out
put is estimated at 100000 tons in 1918.
100000 tons in 1919 and 1000 tons
in 1920.
This allows for all the plantations
put under cultivation before the war
broke out to come into full bearing.
For series of years following 1920
increases from new'areas will neces-
sarly be small because the war has
arrested the work of plantation de-
velopment.
available there is good authority, "The
London Times" says, for placing the
plantation area in the Middle East at
approximately 100000 acres, which,
with an ultimate yield of 400 pounds
an acre, would give total production
of $4,000 tons, to which must be
added about $4,000 tons of wild rub
Der. Of those 100000 acres, roughly
so per cent, is either in British terri
tory or British owned, q circum stance
which has been of incalculable benefit
to the Allies, besides constituting
most valuable asset, which has con-
tributed more than it's. share to the
cost of the war In some quarters it
is held that the effective planted area
will prove to be nearer ] 500, 900 than
100000 acres, while others maintain
that it is unsafe to reckon a higher
average output than 800 pounds an
acre.
London Market Depressed
Depression in the rubber market has
given rise to fresh proposals to restrict
production. Cogent reasons for such
action are discussed by "The Times" as
follows:
"First and foremost, there is the
patent fact that there are no ships to
carry the full crop to the consuming
countries The scarcity of freight
promises to become accentuated rather
than mitigated. It might be argued
that the portion Of the crop which can
not now be shipped might be ware
housed to meet the increased demand
which will come along sooner or later,
if only scarcity of tonnage prevents its
absorption now Aga INST that it may
be contended that rubber is to all in
tents and purposes a perishablc COM
modify. In addition, there is the diff
Guilty of financing large quantities of
rubber in Eastern warehouses. So con-
vinced are the leaders of the planting
industry that restriction of production
under present conditions is not only
desirable, but necessary, that the Rub
Der Growers Association has circular
lied its members advocating the adop-
tion of this measure, the reduction sug-
gested being 20 per cent. Doubtless
producers have been rendered all the
more ready to listen to counsels Of re-
striction by the severity with which the
excess profits duty has pressed on the
industry. On the other hand, It can
not be denied that there is much to be
said for restricting tapping when labor
and skilled supervision are scarce and
fertilizers and disinfectants wellnigh
unobtainable. Abstention from tap
ping the younger trees and the restric
tion Of tapping the older trees to in
sure perfect bark renewal make for
more vigorous estates, constituting a
future reserve Of strength"