Headings 
in exports 
returns. 
Difficulties 
in making 
compari- 
s0LS, 
A table attached to this note compares the headings in the export 
returns of the principal exporting countries. The unit of quantity recorded 
under each heading in the returns of the various countries is also given. 
Certain characteristics of the rubber manufacturing industry very greatly 
enhance the difficulties of analysing the trade statistics. The chief of 
these difficulties are :— 
L. The extraordinary variety of goods made of rubber or in which rubber 
forms an important or essential part. An official report recently issued 
in the United Kingdom states: ‘‘ Few industries use a wider range of 
raw materials or manufacture products put to more diverse uses than the 
rubber industry.”* As, in the trade returns of all the manufacturing 
countries, this wide variety of articles is classified under a comparatively 
few headings, it is very difficult, and in many cases, impossible, to know 
whether the same kinds of goods are included under similar headings. 
Instances of this difficulty are: — 
Rubber Footwear—whether rubber soles and heels are included— 
whether the trade is predominantly one in light canvas shoes or heavy 
waders or wellingtons. 
Hard Rubber or ebonite goods—whether these are included under 
the articles of which they form an important part but not the whole, 
such as surgical rubber. goods, or whether—as in the German returns— 
they have a separate heading. In the latter case one cannot be sure 
that these do not include other kinds of rubber or other materials 
which form a part of the article classified as of * hard rubber.” 
2. Even in so-called rubber goods *“ other ’’ materials frequently form 
30 large a part of the value that comparisons may be very misleading. 
Examples :— 
Cotton fabric forms about half the value of motor ear outer tyres. Cotton 
or other fabric enters into the manufacture of many rubber articles, such 
as clothing, elastic goods, rubber boots and shoes. Rubber is only a 
fractional part of the weight (or value) of insulated wires and cables. 
Variations in the weight or value of these incorporated materials may 
make great differences in the weight or value of goods classified as ‘* rubber 
manufactures ’’ without giving any indication of the quantity or the value 
of the rubber used in their manufacture 
3. It is mecessary—when considering figures of exports——to bear in mind 
the relative importance of the different branches of the rubber manu- 
facturing industry in different countries. 
Thus, : in. comparing the exports of the United States and Germany, it 
should be borne in mind that rubber manufactures other than tyres formed 
14 per cent, (in 1927) of the rubber goods exported from the United States 
and 78 per cent. of those exported from Germany. Changes in the exports 
of these goods from Germany will therefore reflect very much greater 
variations in the state of the rubber industry as a whole in Germany 
than thev will in the case of the United States. 
5, Since tyres form. usually a very great proportion of the rubber 
manufactures of the principal producing countries, the total trade in 
rubber manufactures as well as that in tyres will depend very greatly 
* Report for 1927-8 of the Department of Scientific snd Industrial Research, 
page 142.