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As the result of this action a large number of raw materials suitable for industrial use have been brought to the notice of manufacturers and merchants in the United Kingdom, who have frequently offered to take trial consignments of promising products at definite prices. In this way a market has been found at once for certain products, to the mutual advantage of British traders in the different Colonies and manufacturers in the United Kingdom.
The reports furnished by the Imperial Institute to the Colonial and Indian Governments on the results of the examination of natural products are usually pub- lished in the different countries concerned, and commercial action is frequently taken, independently of the Imperial Institute, by the representatives of British firms on the spot. Such results, therefore, cannot be included in the present record.
The following typical examples will indicate some of the more important of the results of the action of the Imperial Institute in introducing products to British trade.
(1) INTRODUCTION OF NEW PRODUCTS.
Oilseeds, vils, fats, and waxes. During recent years there has been a largely increased demand for vegetable oils and fats for soap-making, for the manufacture of edible fats, and for other purposes. In consequence, all classes of these products have risen very considerably in value, and manufacturers have been keenly interested in the possibility of discovering fresh sources of supply. In the course of the opera- tions of the Imperial Institute a considerable number of new oil seeds have been examined, and those which were found suitable for commercial use have been brought to the notice of British firms. As a result of this action some of the seeds have already become regular articles of commerce, whilst the utilisation of others is only waiting for the organisation of means of collecting the seeds in the countries of pro- duction.
The valuable information thus accumulated has been of great service to manu- facturers, and several of the most enterprising firms in the United Kingdom using oil seeds and oils have sent their technical advisers to the Imperial Institute to obtain information on these subjects. In December, 1904, Messrs. J. Crosfield and Sons, Limited, of Warrington, considered the question of sending an expert to visit the East Indies to investigate the available sources of supply of oil seeds, and before doing so sent a representative to the Imperial Institute to obtain information regard- ing new oil seeds which investigations conducted at the Imperial Institute had shown were likely to be of value for the production of oils and fats suitable for the soap- making industry. Messrs. Crosfield and Sons were informed as to the countries in the East Indies that would best repay investigation for their special purpose, and their representative was provided with letters of introduction to officials and others there who could best assist him in his enquiries. Since that time Messrs. Crosfield and Sons have kept in close touch with the work of the Imperial Institute and their experts have repeatedly consulted the Imperial Institute on matters connected with the supply of oil seeds and oils.
Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, of Port Sunlight, have also repeatedly sent their experts to the Imperial Institute in search of information, especially in connec- tion with their planting enterprises. Thus, in December, 1909, à representative of this firm came to the Imperial Institute to obtain information regarding African oil seeds before proceeding on a special mission to West Africa to investigate the sources of supply of palm kernels and other oil seeds of commercial importance, a mission which has resulted in this firm commencing operations on a very large scale in the manufacture and purchase of palm oil, palm-kernel oil and other oil products in West Africa.
Among other firms whose experts have visited the Imperial Institute and obtained similar information, and who keep in close touch with its work on oil seeds, may be mentioned the Hull Oil Manufacturing Company, Limited, and the British Oil and Cake Mills, Limited, both controlling very large enterprises for the manu- facture of oils and fats.
It was long a matter of reproach to oil-seed crushers in the United Kingdom that they confined their attention to a few kinds of oil seeds, and were less enter- prising than their foreign competitors in working new products. This is no longer the case, and the Imperial Institute may justly claim that its persistence in directing the attention of British firms engaged in this industry to new raw materials has assisted in bringing about this improved state of things. The following examples of new materials thus introduced recently to the notice of seed crushers may be given.
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Para rubber seed. Investigations conducted at the Imperial Institute in 1903 showed that the kernels of Para rubber seed contain nearly 50 per cent, of a drying oil which could be employed for the same purposes as linseed oil, and that the cake obtained on expressing the oil would probably be of value as a feeding stuff for cattle. It was pointed out that large supplies of the seed would ultimately be available from the extensive plantations of the trees which had been formed in Ceylon and Malaya, and that in consequence the matter promised to be of considerable commercial importance.
The high price of linseed oil during the last two or three years has caused British manufacturers to take considerable interest in the commercial possibilities of Para rubber-seed oil, and in response to a number of enquiries from firms in the United Kingdom the Imperial Institute communicated with the Planters' Association in Ceylon and the Federated Malay States with a view to the arrangement of a regular export of the seeds to the United Kingdom.
From time to time the Imperial Institute has drawn the attention of a large number of British manufacturers to the commercial importance of Para rubber-seed oil, and in addition numerous enquiries have been received by British firms as a result of the publication of the Imperial Institute reports on the subject in the "Bulletin of the Imperial Institute," and elsewhere. following may be mentioned:-
The British Oil and Cake Mills. The Hull Oil Company.
Messrs. Bibby and Sons.
Messrs. Typke, King, and Company. The Staines Linoleum Company.
Messrs. Blacklock and MacArthur. The North British Rubber Company. Messrs. Cox, McEuen and Company
The London and North-Western Railway. Holzapfels, Limited.
Amongst these firms the
Several consignments of the seeds and oils have been already forwarded to this country for manufacturing trials, and important developments are now in progress. Quite recently the attention of Messrs. Jenson and Nicholson, who are large users of linseed oil for the manufacture of oil varnishes, was directed by the Imperial Institute to Para rubber-seed oil as a substitute for linseed oil, and this firm sent a representative to Ceylon and Malaya in order to arrange for the delivery to them of supplies of Para rubber seed. The Institute also provided the firm with letters of introduction to officials and planters who could assist their representative in his investigations. As a result of this action Messrs. Jensen and Nicholson are now receiving consignments of the seed for expression in this country on a commercial scale.
British planting companies in Ceylon and Malaya (eg., the Highlands and Lowlands Estates, the Rosehaugh Tea and Rubber Company, &c.) are also devoting their attention to the subject, and some of them have applied to the Imperial Institute for information regarding the marketing of the seeds and the expression of the The commercial developments which are now taking place in connection with Para rubber-seed oil are the direct result of the investigations and consequent action of the Imperial Institute.
oil.
Mafoureira seed. The Imperial Institute received from His Majesty Consul in Portuguese East Africa a small supply of Mafoureira seeds, which at that time were unknown in this country. These seeds proved on investigation at the Imperial Institute to contain a large percentage of a solid white fat which could be used to replace tallow for certain purposes. Samples of the seeds were sent to oil crushers in the United Kingdom for trial in 1902, and at intervals since then when further supplies were available, and reports on the seeds were published in the "Bulletin of the Imperial Institute." As a result of this action consignments of the seeds have been sold in this country.
As mentioned above, a representative of Messrs. Lever Brothers. Limited, visited the Imperial Institute in 1909 to obtain information regarding African oil seeds, and Mafoureira seed was one of the materials to which his attention was directed. The firm subsequently opened a branch soap factory at Durban, in Natal,
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Reference :-
TT TTT I mmimunim C.O. 885
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