CHEMICAL MARKETS OF THE WEST INDIES. - Industrial

CHEMICAL MARKETS OF THE WEST INDIES. O. P. Hopkins. Ind. Eng. Chem. , 1919, 11 (1), pp 19–26. DOI: 10.1021/ie50109a008. Publication Date: January ...
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Jan., 1919

T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

respect and kindnesse for you, will receave what shall come from you, . . .with no ordinary affection and thankfulnesse.” Oldenburg not only urges Winthrop to contribute papers upon the mineral resources of his colony and upon his new method for manufacturing salt, but he sends him a t the same time copies of the Society’s transactions with chemical books by Boyle and other authors. He also keeps him posted upon the latest researches which the Society had under way. “Since you went,” he writes again, “the Society hath made, among others, the Torricellian Experiment in a glass-tube of 40 feet high which costed much trouble but gave contentment.” He then describes with considerable detail another experiment which seemed to contradict Boyle’s theory of “the spring and weight of the air.” In every letter Oldenburg pressed his friend to write a book upon the natural resources of New England but the cares of office allowed Winthrop no time for such a project. He longed for leisure and the opportunities for research and study and wished to resign the Governorship but the General Assembly refused to give their consent. In performance of his duties as Governor he attended a meeting of the Colonial Commissioners a t Boston in the winter of 1675-1676, and it was while absent upon this mission that he contracted his final sickness. He died at Bo:,ton, April 6, 1676, and was buried in King’s Chapel cemetery. The objection may be raised against the claim that Winthrop was our first American chemist by saying that he was not a profesc;ional chemist but only an amateur. Without denying this, it may be said that the same objection would apply to all chemists for the next hundred years after Winthrop’s death. They were not chemists by vocation, but by avocation. The great Priestley was not a chemist by profession, but a Unitarian minister. In support of the claim for Winthrop we have not only his own letters and the records of the Royal Society but we have the testimony of his contemporaries. In a tribute by the colonial poet Benjamin Thompson the dedication is addressed “to the Honourable Dust of that most Charitable Christian, Unbiassed Politician and Unimitable Pyrotechnist, John Winthrope, Esq. : A Member of the Royal Society and Governor of Conecticut Colony in New England, who expired in his Country’s Service, April 6 , 1676.” In this tribute Thompson mentions little about Winthrop’s

political achievements but devotes nearly half the poem to his chemical pursuits. Projections various by fire he made Where nature had her common Treasure laid. Some thought the tincture Philosophick lay Hatcht b y the Mineral Sun in Winthrop’s way, And clear it shines t o me he had a Stone Grav’d with his Name which he could read alone.

..........

Sometimes Earth’s veins creeping from endless holes Would stop his plodding eyes : anon the Coals Must search his Treasure, conversant in use N o t of the Mettals only but the juice. Sometimes his wary steps, but wandring too, Would carry him the Chrystal Mountains to, Where Nature locks her Gems, each costly spark Mocking the Stars, spher’d in their Cloisters dark. Sometimes the Hough. anon the Gardner’s Spade He deigned to use, and tools of th’ Chymick trade.

Winthrop’s death may be said to mark the close of the first epoch in the history of industrial chemistry in America, the epoch which was mostly devoted to what were called “trials.” The future of chemical industries in America was destined to remain neither in Virginia nor in h’ew England. With the founding of another colony by William Penn, six years after Winthrop’s death, a new era was to begin when undiscovered mineral resources, of an extent and character hitherto undreamed, were to make the Xiddle Atlantic Section the future center of chemical industry. But the period when our ancestors made trials of pitch, tar, glass, salt, powder, and iron ought not to be forgotten and it should be commemorated at the fiftieth anniversary of the SOCIETY. The occasion would be fitting, AMERICAN CHEMICAL for it has the sanction of a commemoration in more ways than one. Winthrop died on April 6, 1676, and on April 6, 1876, exactly two hundred years later to the day, the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY had its birth. As the origin of our Society dates back to a meeting of chemists about the grave of Priestley, we can celebrate its fiftieth anniversary in no better way than by meeting in Boston in 1926 about the grave of Winthrop, the man who first brought chemistry into the wilderness, who labored to apply his chemical knowledge to the service of his fellowmen, and who, in spite of his own failures, had unbounded faith and confidence in the future.

CHEMICAL MARKETS OF THE WEST INDIES B y 0. P. HOPKINS, Washington, D. C.

I t is a fact not generally appreciated t h a t t h e West Indies are second only t o Europe as a market for Americ a n goods. During t h e fiscal year 1916 these islands imported nearly as much from America as the continent; of South America, two-thirds as much as was t a k e n by all Asia and t h e East Indian Islands, or seven times the t o t a l sold t o China. Cuba, of course, takes t h e bulk of t h e trade, but some of t h e other islands are worth-while customers and constantly becoming more attractive; in fact, t h e opportunities for future .expansion throughout the Archipelago are quite as promising as in any other quarter. T h e extraordinary natural resources of t h e islands have n o t nearly been fully developed. T h e wealth of t h e West Indies lies i n agricultural, forest, a n d mineral products which are exported in t h e main as crude or partly manufactured materials. Imports, on t h e other hand, consist of manufactured

goods a n d foodstuffs, of which t h e United States is t h e chief source of supply because of favorable location and superior knowledge of t h e markets. All of t h e islands are covered in this article except a few of t h e very smallest, which have no trade t o speak of, a n d the American possessions, Porto Rico and t h e Virgin Islands, which are usually included in studies of t h e American possessions. The table showing the chemical t r a d e as a whole is in each case compiled from t h e official statistics of t h e country, while t h e tables showing t h e t r a d e with t h e United States are made u p from published statistics of the United States Bureau of Foreign a n d Domestic Commerce. CUBA

Sugar is t h e principal source of Cuban wealth, followed b y tobacco. T h e elimination of t h e competition from E u r o p e a n , b e e t sugar during t h e war has

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T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

stimulated t h e Cuban industry and brought prosperity t o t h e whole country. so t h a t the market for imported articles is even more attractive t h a n it was be€ore t h e war . Other agricultural products of minor b u t growing importance are cacao. coffee. winter vegetables. pineapples. citrus fruits. bananas. and other tropical fruits. Henequen and malva blanca are two fibers t h a t are grown in increasing quantities t o meet the demand for sugar bags . The mineral resources of t h e island have not been extensively exploited. but iron and copper ores have been taken out in quantity. especially under t h e stimulation of war prices . The only important manufacturing industries are carried on in connection with t h e cane and tobacco crops . American capital is heavily invested in t h e sugar mills . The minor manufacturing industries are unable in any case t o meet t h e domestic demands. and the great bulk of manufactured goods is imported . The purchases of chemical products are rather heavy. as “Salts not elsewhere specified” were imported t o t h e extent of more t h a n three and a half millions during t h e fiscal year 1917 . while “Pharmaceuticals not elsewhere specified” were imported t o the value of more t h a n t w o millions. and fertilizers t o t h e extent of a million . It is unfortunate t h a t more details as t o t h e items included under these classes are not available. but there seems t o be a dearth of information on the matter . The merits of chemical fertilizers have only recently been recognized. b u t t h e results obtained with them by t h e more progressive cane and tobacco growers have had their effect upon t h e others. and the demand is rapidly growing . American packers. Chilean nitrate concerns. and German fertilizer agencies have been active in the market. and American capital has erected a plant for t h e manufacture of complete fertilizer from imported materials . This market will continue t o expand . The products imported are for t h e most part such as t h e United States can furnish t o good advantage. and this country n o w has t h e lion’s share of the trade in most lines . French manufacturers have always done a good business in proprietary medicines. pharmaceuticals. and perfumes. but t h e Germans have not been particularly successful . The following Cuban statistics for t h e fiscal years 1914 and 1917 show t h e extent of t h e imports of chemicals and allied products and the manner in which t h e principal competing countries have participated: CUBANIMPORTS OF CHEMICALS AND ALLIEDPRODUCTS ARTICLDS 1914 1917 CHEMICALS. D R U G S . DYES.MEDICINES Acids .................................. $ 213. 832 $ 308. 301 Belgium .............................. 15. 304 ...... United States., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166. 839 300. 236 Alcohol ................................ 827 353 Alkaloids. .............................. 16. 807 12. 186 France ............................... 3. 863 5. 772 United States ......................... 2. 804 5. 649 Calcium carbide., ....................... 328.539 276. 032 United States., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328. 492 276. 032

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CUBANIMPORTS OF CHEMICALS AND ALLIE > D PRODUCTS ( Continued) ARTICLES 1914 1917 CHEMICALS. DRUGS. ETC. (Continued) Chemicals. n . e s $ 212. 192 $ 286. 3 8 9 Germany 22 968 United States 143. 311 263. 476. Dyes. natural and artificial 5. 572 6 . 714 Germany 2. 476 ...... United States 2 . 303 5 . 936 Fertilizers. chemical 504. 7 13 1.014.833 . Germany ............................. 140.202

. ........................

............................. ......................... ............... ............................. ......................... .....................

...... ...... Belgium ..............................

......................... proprietary .......... .................... .................... United States ......................... Opium ................................. China ................................ United States ......................... Oxides ................................. United Kingdom ...................... United States ................. Pharmaceutical s , n . e . s........... France ...................... United States

~

................................ .................... ................................

Quinine United States ...................... Roots. herbs. etc Spain United States ......................... Saccharine .............................. e s .....................

Vanilla. ................................ EXPLOSIVES Cartridges.

.............................

Gunpowder ( U . S ....................... Hunters’ powder . . . United States . . . . Miners’ fuses (U S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other exDlosives (U . s.).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OILS: Animal: Cod-liver oil. ......................... Norway United States ....................... Other animal oils ........................ United Kingdom ...................... United States . ......... Mineral: Crude ............................... United Kingdom ....................

.

........

..........

................. ....... ....................... ................................ ...............

Refined ....... United Kingdom United States Benzine Gasoline ......... ......... Naphtha ............................... Oil for cordage works .................... Refined petroleum Other refined oils ........................ Vegetable: Cottonseed oil ~

.......................

................

..

Olive oil ........................ Spain . . . . . . . .

1.014. 833 353. 767

80. 769 547. 535 175. 203 28. 417 302. 803 66. 933

353. 767 415.876. 152. 782 9 . 657 232. 652 97. 293 47. 57@ 19. 061 234. 575

......

2. 226 130. 227 34. 824 94. 409 1.214. 844 639. 018 16 936 49. 501 16. 948 469. 716 3. 506 549 76. 649 10. 675 14. 293 1.689 2. 919 691 2‘:519 527 696 2.355. 135 6 . 858 6. 730 5. 456 ~

8. 679 3. 010 4 289 2 . 323 I

...... 1. 336

678. 040 812 677. 209 71 1. 809 6. 768 701. 300 690 26. 357 24. 993 19. 266 63. 086 577. 420 346. 013 40. 348 305. 651 1:012:556 1 104 9 4 1 63. 369 21. 801

......

......

..

98. 353 43. 689

Colors. metallic base . . . . . . . . . . Belgium ...................

United States . United States . . . . . .

............... ...............

......

232;iis 2.127.623 . 666. 7 7 9

......

125.740. 40. 259 1.240. 165 6 . 936 2. 770 245. 091 112. 5 7 0 68. 2 5 0 3 . 146 3.632. 2 7 0 285. 313 3.060. 256. 825 585 21. 463 21. 285 5 . 550

72. 677 63. 199 128. 966 4. 938 22. 868 6. 681 6. 681 8. 787 45

21.801 176. 025

United Kingdom

......

254. 290 115. 16. 650 773

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United K

......

14. 698 3 . 11.5 5 . 893 622. 172 37. 361 177. 496 378. 165 94. 375 13. 457 6 . 049 64. 947 76. 769 4 . 810 67. 214

4. 154 220. 2. 655 7.430 . 5. 891 1 . 539 1. 470 431 3:186 1:610:396 1 467 245 528. 1.602.345 . 198. 455 310. 5 0 9 101. 8 7 9 12. 713 56. 1 7 3 930. 6 6 7 1.046. 113

11’880’653 o46‘iii

:137.:359

1 725 041

.

195.608 386 195. 222 313. 5 7 6 78. 887 29. 2 8 3 200.946 10. 103 3. 602 5. 8 9 2 1.041. 861

iiz;i&i

904. 603 94. 3 4 4

......

6. 279 83 4 4 0 75: 250 2. 957 70. 706

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THE J O U R N A L O F I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

The only other important imports suitable for inclusion in this list are molasses, copper ore, and iron ore, t h e first two of which have been greatly increased since t h e war started. The preceding table contains details of our imports from Cuba for t h e fiscal years 1914 and 1917. DOMINICAN

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i t will be seen t h a t demands for practically all lines have expanded since t h e war started. AMERICAN PRODUCTS SOLD I N THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ARTICLES 1914 1917 Blacking, shoe paste, etc. $ , 6,270 $ 10,726 Candles. ..................................... 66,465 6,449 Celluloid and manufactures. 5,803 5,665 Cement, hydraulic.. 77,733 146,129 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: .......................... 1,970 15,292 22,597 30,996 153,134 80,523 Soda salts and pre 18,293 (a) All other.. 175 506 51,121 Chewing gum. ...... 9 7 725

...................... ....................

...........................

..........................

REPUBLIC

.......

The Dominican Republic’s output of sugar was .................... valued a t $ ~ , O O O , O O O in 1914, cacao a t $ ~ , O O O , O O O , tobacco a t $400,000, and coffee a t $350,000, and these are t h e principal products of the country. The war Flavoring extracts and fruit juices.. ............. has greatly stimulated t h e output of sugar and has Glass and glassware.. ......................... ...................... also led t o some exploitation of t h e immense dyewood Grease: Lubricating. ................................ resources, which had previously been neglected. Soap stock and other.. ...................... The forests contain an abundance of tropical woods, India-rubber manufactures. .................... Ink .......................................... and agriculture could be much extended. There is Leather, patent. .............................. ........................................ very little manufacturing, and t h e mineral resources Lime Matches ..................................... have not been surveyed. The population is estimated Naval stores : Rosin.. .................................... a t about 800,ooo. Allother ................................... Oilcloth and linoleum.. ........................ To date there has not been much of a demand for Oils. Mineral: chemicals, although t h e market for patent medicines ............................. Gas and f u e l . . ........................... and pharmaceuticals is not altogether unattractive. Illuminating ............................. Lubricating and heavy paraffin.. ........... Before t h e war Germany had a good share of t h e Gasoline. ................................ All other (including residuum). ............ business in paper and glass, and France sold most of the perfumes, b u t in all other lines t h e United States .............................. ............................... has practically no competition. .............................. Allother fixed ............................ The following table will give some idea of t h e extent Essential, ................................ t o which chemicals and allied products are i m - Paints, pigments, etc.: Dry colors.. ................................. ported: Ready-mixed paints. ........................ IMPORTS OP CHEMICALS AND ALLIEDPRODUCTS INTO THE DOMINICAN

REPUBLIC 1913 ARTICLES CHEMICALS,DRUGS, GUMS, RESINS, FATS, $320,194 AND WAXES 38,361 France 22,881 Germany. ................. 228,737 United States.. Calcium carbide,. (a) Caustic s o d a . , Tallow and greases.. Other oils, fats, waxes. Vegetable juices and extracts.. ... (a) Gums, resins, and caustic soda f 103,989 3,371 Resins. ....... 212,834 43,776 28,963 6,827 United States.. 448,384 OILS, A L SORTS. ~ 30,078 Spain 384,082 United States.. Oils for table use:. Spain.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . United States.. ........................... Oils mineral: (a) d u d e , and fuel oil.. ...................... Gasoline. .... (0) Illuminating o Lubricating oil.. (a Allother 86,884 SOAP........................................ United States.. ...... 82,583

................................. ................................... .......... ........................... ........................... .............................. ........................ ....................... ........................

........................

........................... .............................. .................................... ........................... .......................... .........

...................

................... .......................... ................................... ................ EXPLOSIVES .................................. United States.. ........................... PAINTS, PIGMENTS, VARNISHES.. ................ Germany., ............................... United Kingdom.. ........................ United States.. ........................... PAPER AND MANUFACTURES OB... ............... Germany. ................................ United States.. ........................... GLASSAND GLASSWARE.. ...................... Germany, ................................ United States.. ........................... ( a ) Not shown in 1914.

‘s

(0)

(a)

56,073 6 467 7:855 41 415 125:683 52,898 54,764 55,330 22,189 29,144

1917 $476,237 38,187 41 1 ;468 35 662 8;755 36,211 367,012 6,463

(b) 12,407 9,727 77 350 39 1085 31 273 786; 956 14,809 743,045 268 458 14 809 230,708

:

45 324 117:450 217,811 69 339 68 1574 248 902 240 ’915 10:872 10,436 140, $52

....

4,967 133,982 248,381

;

202 448 72,360

....

63,867

( b ) Not shown in 1917.

Imports of American goods, according t o t h e American classification, are shown in t h e next table, by which

............................... ................. .. ..................... .....................

White lead.. All other (including crayon). Paper and manufactures. ...................... Paraffin and wax.. Perfumery cosmetics etc.. Photographic goods, iensitized. Soap: Toilet.. Allother Starch Sugar, refined. (e) Not stated separately in 1914.

.................

.................................... ................................... ....................................... ................................

59,932 12

....

4,169 710 14,852 310

508 3,045 216 4 450 9 ; 287 52,019 4,127

7,012 20,669 27,131 3,275 15,027 6,088

13 788 6:110 80,026 10,616 14,286 6 656 5:606

14,688 1,974 4,854

18 339 2:565 8,178

....

8,442 I05 101 24,’865 25,442

....

10,705 17 885 134: 646 54,632 197.256 i2,858

28,307 134,595 3,266 2,445 460

113,994 154,178 16,911 7,383 2,196

3,184 14,613 1,218 16,937 54,130 4,510 2,197

7,128 27,833 3,609 46,079 204 262 11’391 221636 6,336

8,040 72,735 855 56,932

30,692 194 868 3:301 135.607

J1

The Republic’s chief contributions t o t h e United States are now cacao and sugar, as t h e next table shows. As a source of cacao it is second only t o Ecuador. The sudden development of t h e logwood industry is shown by t h e jump in exports t o t h e United States from four thousand t o two hundred thousand dollars in three years. DONINICAN REPUBLICPRODUCTS SOLD I N THE UNITED STATES ARTICLES 1914 1917 Cacao crude., $3,187,006 87,202,747 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: 1,883 Glycerin crude.. 3,308 42,328 All othe;. Copper: 32,690 Ore ...... 17,225 Matte, regulus, etc. Old and clippings 1,813 27,799 Dyewoods, in crude state: 4,410 221,718 Logwood 8,221 4,669 All other.. 13,723 Coconut meat (copra).. Sugar and molasses: 8.590 161,029 Molasses.. Sugar cane 86,761 5,242,515 13,834 Tanning) materials: Mangrove bark.. Wax: Beeswax 19,894 142,354

............................ ....................... .............................. .................................... ..................... ........................ ............................... .............................

.................... ............................. ............................. ........ ............................

......

...... ......

......

HAITI

Agricultural and forest products comprise Haiti’s contribution t o international trade. There are said

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T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY

t o be mineral resources, b u t little is known of them, a n d there is practically no manufacturing. Coffee is t h e principal product and was exported t o t h e cxt e n t of seventy-nine million pounds in 1914. Other exports are cacao, cotton, logwood, fustic, a n d other m700ds, gum guaiacum, honey, orange peels, and hides a n d skins. Sugar and indigo were once exported in large quantities, but these products are now unimportant. T h e United States is t h e principal purchaser of t h e island’s goods and easily t h e chief source of supply for manufactured goods. T h e coffee trade suffered by t h e cutting off of t h e markets in Germany, Belgium, and Holland, b u t t h e increased demand for logwood and other dyewoods has brought prosperity t o many of t h e inhabitants. There are very few white persons in t h e country. Haitian statistics are notoriously incomplete a n d unreliable; in fact, there have been no detailed official t r a d e figures in recent years, and i t has consequently been impossible t o compile a table t h a t would present t h e trade in chemicals and allied products as a whole. The table t h a t follows shows the imports from t h e United States as given in t h e statistical publications of our own Government, and as t h e trade is very largely American it gives a fairly definite idea of the importance of t h e market. The chief imports are soap and mineral oil, both of which are purchased almost exclusively from t h e United States. The bulk of the soap is a cheap grade of yellow laundry soap t h a t comes in bars. The importance of this item, as compared with totals for other countries of similar standing, is probably t o be accounted for b y thc fact t h a t even this simple industry is not well developed in t h e country. AMERICANPRODUCTS SOLDIN HAITI ARTICLES 1914 Rlackinc. shoe oaste. e t c . . ..................... $ 7,484 . Candles. ..................................... 4,861 Celluloid and manufactures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Cement, hydraulic. 25,574 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: Medicines, patent or proprietary.. . . . 7,563 22,823 All o t h e r . . ........................ 9,019 Glass and glassware.. 5,525 India-rubber manufactures. 7,492 Leather, patent. 2,702 Matches 5,277 Naval stores.. ,. Nickel, nickel oxide, and matte. 6,544 Oilcloth and linoleum.. Oils: Mineral : 1,358 Gasoline. Illuminating. 1112,307 6,305 6 -

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1917

............................

.......................... ........... ..................... ........................... ....................... ....... ...............

16,534 53,252 17,805 10,654 18,446 13,078 5,627 3,038 6,156

. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

............. .............

.................... ............................ ............................ .......................

Essential. . . . . . .......................... Paints, pigments, etc.: D r y colors., ................................ Ready-mixed p a i n t s . . ....................... All others (including crayons), . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paper and manufactures. ....................... Perfumery, cosmetics, e t c . . .................... Soap : Toilet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Allother ................................... Sugar, refined.. ~

...............................

....

HAITIAN PRODUCTS S O L D I N THE UNITED STATES 1914 1917 ARTICLES Cacao, crude.. $218,947 $ 384,739 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: Gums .................................... 416 2,200 Allother ... 90,363 8,085 Copper, old, and clippings.. 49 i Dyewoods, in crude state: Logwood 1,800,397 95,609 1,476 687 Allother ................................. Fertilizers : Guano ...... Allother 2,166 India rubber: 1,546 Balata Allother 37 Oils, vegetable: Cottonseed.. 15,261 Allother 1,244 Seeds, castor,. .... 2,993 Sugar,cane 144,600 Wax : Beeswax. 17,287 16,365 Vegetable .... 167

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................................... .................................

................................... ................................. ............................. ................................. .............................. ................................. ................................ ................................

.... .... .... .... .... .... ....

BRITISII. WEST INDIES-BARBADOS

Cane is practically t h e only source of wealth in Barbados, a n d from this crop are obtained the sugar, molasses, rum, and alcohol t h a t make up t h e rather important trade with Canada. There are deposits of manjack, a n almost pure bitumen t h a t is shipped t o some extent t o t h e United States for use in manufacturing a good grade of black insulating varnish. The total population is less t h a n two hundred thousand, t h e great majority of whom are colored. T h e only imports of chemicals a n d allied products totaling more than one hundred thousand dollars are fertilizers and soap, Canada and England furnishing most of t h e former and Eng1,and the bulk of t h e latter, as t h e following table shows: CHEMICALS AND ALLIED P R O D U C T S INTO BARBADOS ARTICLES 1912 CHEXICALSA N D DRUGS.. $ 61,104 United Kingdom.. 30,824 United States.. 27,218 SULFATE OF AMMONIA.. 252,591 Canada ............................ 199,653 OTHERFERTILIZERS, Chile. 31,632 United Kingdom. 108,421 3,528 United S t a t e s . . ... 92,590 ... 89,247 ... 14,419 IMPORTS O F

................................ .................................. ..................................... .................. ..... ..... .................... ............................................. ................................... .....................................

$ 12.097

4,914 3,170 63,185

..

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3,415 82,338 6,799 2,010

13,298 5,445 218 95

5,623 28,895 11,675 3,672 558

1,715 5,245 5,860 17,547 1,271

3,860 13,799 19,624 44,011 10,658

1,549 455,524 40,342

27,901 420,732 38,609

Logwood is t h e only material of interest t o t h e chemical industry t h a t is imported into this country from Haiti in large quantities, as the following table shows.

............................ ............ ............

...................................

......................................

51,877 46,577 21,456 52,398 6,341

Details of t h e imports from t h e United States are shown in the next table, for the fiscal years 1914and 191 7 : AMERICANPRODUCTS SOLDIN BARBADOS 1914 ARTICLES 1917 Cement, hydraulic.. $ 940 $ 1,973 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: 10,770 Medicines, patent or proprietary. 14,359 (a) 5,718 Soda salts and preparations.. 12 ,‘985 24,051 Allother Glass and glassware.. 2,246 5,750 6,524 India-rubber manufactures. 22,323 Oils: Mineral : Gasoline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,089 12,741 41,838 60,847 Illuminating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,632 10,595 Lubricating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All other., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,421 Vegetable: Corn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,267 30,409 Cottonseed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,376 10,506 79 Linseed. . . . . . . . . 2,532 115 All other ................................... 523 3,049 10,072 Paints, pigments, etc ............................ 9,526 40,224 Paper and manufactures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,575 8,632 Perfumery, cosmetics, etc . . . . . . 78 5,460 Soap (except toilet). , . 15,565 Sugar, refined, .................................. 8,948 ( a ) PTot shown in 1914.

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T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

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Imports of sugar from Barbados have increased as a result of the war, b u t t h e total is not impressive. The “Asphaltum and bitumen,’’ as given in t h e official statistics, is probably all manjack. T h e following table is for fiscal years: PRODUCTS OF BARBADOS SOLDIN THE UNITEDSTATES ARTICLES 1914 1917 Asphaltum and bitumen ........................ $ 3,241 $ 3,385 Copper, old, and clippings .... 7,115 Oils: Fish and other animal.. ..................... 269 Sugar and molasses: Molasses.. ................................. 178,553 254,903 Sugar,cane ................................. 15 290,750

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BRITISH WEST INDIES-JAMAICA

Bananas overshadow all other products as a source of wealth in Jamaica in normal times. The disastrous hurricane in 1915 gave t h e industry a severe setback. Normal exports of bananas approximate seven million dollars. N o other article was exported in excess of a million dollars in 1914,b u t t h e following were shipped in excess of half a million: sugar, logwood extract, coffee, cacao, coconuts, and logwood. Other and characteristic products are rum, ginger, and annatto. The mineral and forest resources have not been much developed and there is no manufacturing t o speak of. The United States takes about half t h e exports and furnishes about half t h e imports, England, t h e mother country, being second i n importaqce in both respects. Of t h e total population of more t h a n 8oo,ooo, only about 16,000 are white. There is naturally only a very limited market for chemicals and allied products. The next table shows t h a t t h e principal import, soap, comes almost exclusively from England. The United States has a n equal or better share in t h e other lines. IMPORTS OP CHEMICALSAND ALLIED PRODUCTS ARTICLES 1912 1914(a) CHEMICALS ................................... $ 41,511 United Kingdom.. ........................ 22,882 United States., ........................... 17 339 DRUGSA N D MEDICINES........................ 183:983 $153:961 United Kingdom.. ........................ 81,324 United States.. ........................... 90,468 OILS MINERAL Naphtha and gasoline.. 38,518 .... 38,294 United States.. ........................... Petroleum., ................................ 179,087 232:891 United States.. ........................ ,.. 175,836 OILS VEGETABLE 108,611 74,920 hottonseed oil (U. S.) 70,744 PAINTERS’COLORSAND M 47,507 United Kingdom 20,994 United Stat ........................ 62,048 PERFUMERY. ... ........................ 6,555 Germany. . . . . . 22,318 United Kingdo 30,873 United States. 19,957 PERFUMED SPIRITS............................ 205,142 168:673 S O A P COMMON. 203,780 Gnited Kingdom.. 20,084 .... SOAP, FANCY.. 39,604 .... PAPER, PRINTING.. 4,745 United Kingdom.. 34,859 United States ............................ .... PAPER,WRITING,STATIONBRY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82.575 19,597 .... United States.. ........................... 124,159 .... PAPER,OTHER;MANUFACTURES OF.. 37,662 United States 65,737 GLASSAND GLASSWARE.. ...................... 12,809 Germany 27,754 .... United K 24,196 United States.. ........................... (a)Statistics available for only a few classes. JAMAICAN

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More details of t h e trade in American goods are shown i n t h e table t h a t follows, which is a compilation from our own statistics for t h e fiscal years 1914 and 1917.

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AMERICANPRODUCTS SOLDIN JAMAICA ARTICLES 1914 1917 Blacking, shoe paste e t c . . W; 3,788 $ 7,071 Celluloid and manufkctures.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 2,124 Cement, hydraulic.. 25,400 60,766 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: Acids ...................................... 3,022 4,698 Calcium carbide.. 2,448 3,545 Medicines, patent or proprietary.. ............ 48,485 52,191 Petroleum jelly. ............................ 7,761 9,240 Soda salts and preparations. (a) 24,390 Allother ................................... 36,709 90,635 Explosives: Cartridges, loaded. 3.265 2,726 3,855 1,046 Dynamite. ................................. 5,168 1,369 All other .................................. 13,894 1,281 Fertilizers. ................................... 5,105 1,392 Flavoring extracts and fruit juices. .............. 40,810 15,922 Glass and glassware. Grease: 4,920 10,894 Lubricating. Allother ................................... 375 95 1 71,882 135,076 India-rubber manufactures. .................... 2,032 3,628 Ink .......................................... 3,761 5,409 Naval stores.. ................................ 3,731 5,365 Oilcloth and linoleum.. ........................ Oils: Mineral: Gasoline 45,222 105,768 196,765 139,011 Illuminating.. ............................ Lubricating.. 13,409 43,362

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...........................

..................

..........................

........................... ................................

................................. ............................. Corn.. ................................... Cottonseed.. ............................. Linseed .................................. Allother ................................. Paints, pigments, etc.: Ready-mixed ............................... White lead ................................. All other (including crayons),. ................ Paper and manufactures.. ...................... Perfumery and cosmetics.. ..................... Photographic goods: Motion-picture films. ........................ Other sensitized goods.. . . . . . . . . . . ........... Salt ............. ........................... Soap: Toilet.. .................................... Allother ................................... Sugar and molasses: Molasses. Sugar, refined.. ............................. (a)Not shown in 1914.

..................................

162:iji 333 696

120,137 73.625 5,986 27.348

6,728 19 10,046 89,162 16,807

8,763 3,093 30,615 185,713 26,851

7,223 3,326

....

22,210 7,291 3,157

14,784 1,454

17,387 13,092

51 25,970

4,793 46,305

Logwood is now a n important import from Jamaica, but it is t h e only one. The imports of essential oil are interesting, b u t t h e official statistics do not throw any light on t h e kind or kinds included in this total. There is a small plant or two for making oil from orange peels. JAMAICA P R O D U C T S SOLD I N THE UNITED STATES ARTICLES 1914 1917 $102,660 8 322,997 Cacao,crude................................ 54,879 116,982 Chemicals. ................................. 12 65,423 Coconut meat (copra). Dyewoods, in a crude state: Lopwood 269,272 1,118,334 Allother.. 29,920 18,210 India-rubber scrap.. 7 03 2,044 54,501 147,690 Oils: Essential.. ............................ Sugar cane ................................. 17 197,373 Tanni)ng materials: Mangrove bark. 15 26 339 Wax: Beeswax .............................. .... 763

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BRITISH WEST INDIES-TRINIDAD

I

AND TOBAGO

Statistics of trade and production always lump t h e returns from Trinidad and Tobago, t h e latter island being of comparatively little i.mportance. The population of Tobago is only about twenty thousand as compared with t h e three hundred and fifty thousand of Trinidad. Negroes and East Indians predominate. The principal products are sugar, cacao, petroleum, asphalt, coconuts, and mangrove bark. Manjack is mined t o some extent. The sugar production in 1915 amounted t o more t h a n five million dollars, all of which went t o England. Cacao is a very impoitant product, more t h a n six million dollars worth being sold t o t h e United States, t h e principal customer, in 1917. The product of t h e famous asphalt lake is well known

T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

Jan., 1919

in t h e United States, as most of t h e output comes t o this country. T h e petroleum fields are also a prime source of wealth. I n spite of the comparative wealth of the islands, however, there is not much of a market for chemicals or a!.lied products, as the first table following shows, although later figures, if available, would probably shorn. an increase in this respect. Soap, t h e most important item, is imported chiefly from England. IMPORTS OF CHEMICALS AND ALLIEDPRODUCTS INTO TRINIDAD AND

TOBAGO

ARTICLES

1912

................. SOAP..

imagination, are a very poor second t o our takings of cacao, which are really of prime importance. The item “Chemicals, etc.” is large enough t o be interesting, b u t i t is not t o be accounted for by a study of t h e products of t h e islands, a n d probably gets its importance from the fact t h a t some products of the mainland are shipped by way of Port of Spain, Trinidad. Tonka beans, which are included under chemicals in American statistics, have been imported from Venezuela for many years, cured, and then reshipped. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO PRODUCTS SOLD IN THE UNITEDSTATES ARTICLES Asphaltum and bitumen.. Cacao, crude.. ............................ Chemicals. etc.. .......................... Copper ore.. ............................. Coconut meat (copra). ..................... Glass and glassware. ...................... India rubber: Balata .............................. India rubber.. ....................... Scrap .................................. Oil: Crude mineral., ...................... Sugar, c a n e . . ............................. Tanning materials: Mangrove bark..

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..

172,985

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25

1914 $ 433,208 4,89 1 ,574 635.290

1917 $ 565,960 6 , 3 1 1 ,496 188,722 5,955 165,051 950

....

493 4,225

24,555

...... 65

297,603 36

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2,318 1,258 307 146,429 210,653 226

DUTCH WEST INDIES

............

United State

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...... . . . . . . . . . .

In t h e next table, which shows imports f r o m t h e United States, i t m7ill be seen t h a t there has been a n increased demand for chemicals from this country since t h e war started, b u t t h e total is relatively insignificant, AMERICANPRODUCTS SOLDIN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ARTLCLES 1914 1917 $ 2 , 1 7 3 $ 3,841 Blacking, shoe paste, etc. 7,254 Candles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,530 19,543 Cement. hvdraulic. ...... 80,373 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: Acids: 2R _. 8,432 Sulfuric. . . . . . . . . . . . .: . . . . . . . ............. 5,185 403 Ail other.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,378 480 Calcium carbide., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,755 30,841 Medicines, patent or proprietary. 3 ,008 1,338 Petroleum jelly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23,923 Sodn salts, and preparations of.. (a) 107,184 23,131 All other. Explosives : 6.571 2,961 Cartridges, loaded. ............. 2 664 2,038 All o t h e r . , .................... ............. 44,043 6,396 Glass :md glassware. .............. 8,710 2,964 Grease .......................... 82,039 32,455 India-rubber manufactures. .................... 7.352 4.654 Naval stores.. Oilcloth and linoleum. 5,111 6,548 Oils: Mineral: 116,816 132,759 Illuminating, 17,759 46,125 Lubricating, etc.. NaDhthas: Gasoline 21,673 4.420 66 .... All other.. ............................. Vegetable: Corn.. 18,236 99702 25,475 ........................... 331 5,688 187 2 , 743 ~~

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Soap: Toilet. ............................... All o t h e r . . ................................. Sugar, refined, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (e) N o t stated separately in 1914.

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.

2,789 1,900 4,572 28,405 9,629 223

5,560 4,398 10,067 112,060 19,438 6,225

4,847 544 7,942

9,246 23,175 37,664

T h e next table shows t h a t our purchases of asphalt from Trinidad, although looming large in t h e popular

The Dutch West Indies consist of t h e island of Curacao and five smaller islands, t h e total population of which is not more t h a n sixty thousand, mostly colored. There are no products of great importance, although the exports of straw hats t o the United States have reached as high as one hundred a n d fifty thousand dollars. There is small exportation of aloes for chemical use, divi-divi, a n d gold. T h e very limited importation of chemicals a n d allied products is shown in the following table for 1913, t h e latest year for which statistics are available: IMPORTS OF

CHEMICALS AND ALLIEDP R O D U C T S INDIES

ARTICLES CHEMICALS AND DRUGS.,

..................... .......................... PERFUMERY ................................. S O A P . ....................................... STEARIN CANDLES.. .......................... OTHERCANDLES ............................. OILS: Gasoline .................................. Petroleum. ................................ Linseed ................................... Other sorts. ............................... MATCHES .................................... GLASSAND GLASSWARE., ..................... COLORS A N D D Y E S . .

INTO THE

DUTCHWEST

IMPORTS FROM THE OTHER NETHERLANDS COUNTRIES $1,214 $13,162 3.312 7.815 ’ 787 17;741 13,855 380 4,204 4,030 798

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2,842 1,118

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8 938 19:968 3.963

ii;iok 2,171 4,260

T h e next table shows t h a t there has been an increase in the imports from t h e United States since the war started: AMERICAN PRODUCTS S O ~IND THB DUTCHWEST INDIBS ARTICLES 1914 1917 Cement, hydraulic.. $; 4,704 $46,337 Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: Medicines, patent or proprietary.. 4,562 4,561 All other. 6,074 15,389 Explosives 1,128 7,205 Glass and glassware.. 2.366 14,062 India rubber manufactures.. 2,070 13,283 Naval stores.. 958 2.563 Oils: Mineral: Illuminating. .............. 20,650 28,945 1,649 4,122 Lubricating. ............... 12,094 57,525 Gasoline. Vegetable: Corn ....................................... 2.140 7,139 3,228 6,815 Cottonseed ................................. 5,557 273 Linseed.. . . ............ 63 7 1,827 All o t h e r . . 7,829 2,723 Paints, pigments 14,120 3,057 Paper and manu ......................... 4.872 1,557 Perfumeries. cosmetics, e t c . . Soap: Toilet ........................................ 3,252 4,858 Allother ..................................... 90.5 10,937 sugzr, refined ................................... 3,377 16,841

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T H E J O U R N A L OF I h T D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y

26

T h e table t h a t follows shows the character of materials imported into this country from the colony. It is an interesting fact t h a t the liqueur called “Curacao” is really manufactured in Holland, although t h e orange peel t h a t gi,ves i t its peculiar flavor is supplied only from Curacao. DUTCHWEST I N D I E S PRODUCTS S O L D ARTICLES Cacao, crude. Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: Gums Allother Copper, old, and clippings. Dyewoods in a crude state: Logwood All other.. Fertilizers.. Salt Sugar cane Tanning materials: Mangrove bark.

I N THE

.................................. ....................................... .................................... ...................... .................................... .................................. ................................... .......................................... .................................... ..............

UNITED STATES 1914 1917 $ 15,449

...

$56,051

...

246

12,5ii 6,683 12,287

.. .. ..

87,498 102,897 2,904

5;OOi 9,414 8,854 4,300 6,256

FRENCH WEST INDIES

These French possessions consist of Guadeloupe, with a number of much smaller islands, and Martinique. The total population of Guadeloupe is not more t h a n thirty-five thousand, and sugar and r u m are t h e only products normally exported t o the value of more than a million dollars. Imports of chemicals are not important. I n t h e following table t h e items “chemicals” and “cottonseed oil” are the only ones exceeding a hundred thousand dollars in value, the former probably including fertilizers, which are used t o some extent in t h e cane fields. These are t h e latest official figures from the authorities of the islands: IMPORTS OF CHEMICALSAND ALLIED PRODUCTS INTO GUADELOUPE AND DEPSNDEMCIES

ARTICLES CHEMICALS United States.. DYES, PREPARED..

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EXPLOSIVES ..................................

....................... ........................... .......................... .................. ........................... PERFUMERY .................................. SOAP,COMMON.. .............................. CANDLES ..................................... OLLS MINERAL ............................... United States. ............................ OILSVEGETABLE: Cdttonseed oil.. ............................ United States.. ........................... MEDICINES,PREPARED.. United States.. HERBS,SEEDS PAINT;, COLORS,VARNISHES.. United States..

ROOTS

..................................

Other oils PAPER, CARDBOARD, A N D MANUFACTURES OF.. United States.. GLASSA N D GLASSWARE.. United States.. .

... ........................... ...................... .....................

1913 $142,714 688 988 1,661 10,607 623 1,107 12,344 615 5,635 35,891 27,353 42,437 38,679

1914 $203,605 549 130 1,404 30,448 20 224 9,232 429 22,681 36,163 30,602 52,218 5 1,455

140,132 140,132 35,364 23,300 296 20,892 893

132,821 132,821 58,023 26,327 483 15,555 318

T h e population of Martinique is nearly two hundred thousand, of which comparatively few, however, are whites. The cane products, sugar and rum, are of considerable importance, the exports of t h e former amounting t o four and a half million in 1915 and of t h e latter, three million. Cacao is exported t o t h e extent of about a quarter of a million annually. War prices have brought prosperity t o t h e island. “Chemicals” and cottonseed oil are the principal exports t h a t can be considered in this article. “Chemicals” undoubtedly include t h e important imports of fertilizers, which comprise ammonium sulfate, potash, superphosphate, a n d guano. Ordinarily France

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furnishes somewhat more t h a n half t h e total imports, with the United States second, but this condition has been reversed since the war started. The following table contains such details as are available for 1913 a n d 1914: IMPORTS OF CHEMICALS AND ALLIEDPRODUCTS INTO MARTINIQUE ARTICLES 1913 1914 CHEMICALS $424,3 7 7 $467,639 United States.. 30,126 83,897 DYES, PREPARED. 183 162 2,027 1,520 EXPLOSIVES MEDICINES.PREPARED. 12,906 18,790 United States.. 93 60 ROOTS, HERBS,SEEDS 1,082 1,311 PAINTS, COLORS, VARNISHES. 12,123 14,798 United States.. 452 319 PERFUMERY 7,204 8,069 SOAP,COMMON. 32,508 30,187 13,279 21,424 CANDLSS 45,489 50,373 OILS, MINERAL 40,055 45,371 United States.. OILS VEGETABLE : Cdttonseed oil.. 132,449 163 926 United States.. 131,486 163,926 24,630 Other oils .................................. 29,284 PAPER, CARDDOARD, AND MANUFACTURES OF.. 29,685 26,492 United States.. 517 574 19,830 16,137 GLASSAND GLASSWARE United States.. 506 869

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I n the American statistics the French possessions in t h e West Indies are grouped together, and the next table shows t h e imports of American chemicals and allied products into Guadeloupe and dependent islands, and Martiniqus. T h e most important items are cottonseed and corn oil, “All other chemicals,” a n d fertilizers. It will be seen t h a t the American share of t h e fertilizer trade :s increasing. AMERICANPRODUCTS S O L D I N THE FRENCH WEST INDIES 1914 1917 ARTICLES 173 $ 8,520 Candles.. $ 7,167 31,140 Cement, hydraulic.. Chemicals: Acids: Sulfuric.. Other Medicines, patent or proprietary.. Soda salts, and preparations of.. Ail other.;, Explosives. Fertilizers (except phosphate rock). Glass and glassware.. Glucose Grease India-rubber manufactures. Matches. Naval stores.. Oilcloth and linoleum.. Oils: Mineral: 436 5,048 Gas and fuel.. 7,435 61,695 Gasoline 51.827 71,903 Illuminating. 5,865 20,652 Lubricatinn Vegetable : 5,526 121,875 Corn 266,887 374,382 Cottonseed. 52 11,332 Linseed 126 3,031 Other fixed. Paints, pigments, etc.: 4,485 White lead 1,464 13,088 All other (including crayons). 773 14,674 Paper 263 49,333 Soap (except toilet). 505 28,870 Sugar and molasses.. ( a ) N o t shown in 1914.

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Of t h e imports from t h e islands, vanilla beans alone are of sufficient importance t o merit attention, as t h e following table, for fiscal years, shows: FRENCH WEST INDIAN PRODUCTS SOLDIN ARTICLES Chemicals, drugs, dyes, medicines: Vanilla beans.. Allother Oils, essential..

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THE UNITEDSTATES

1914 $42,346 2,332 2,823

1917 $76,338 1,294 6,090