DERRY PROCESS.--The invention of Mr. R. Derry, late of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, this in principle resembled the Wickham and other processes. It aimed at a mechanical imitation of the native method of producing Fine Hard Para. In place of the rotating drum, an endless belt was used. This travelled over pulleys, more or less horizontally placed. The upper of these could be raised to varying height above the level of the other, and likewise could be so adjusted as to tighten the belt. The under layer of the belt impinged, in its travel, upon the surface of a layer of latex contained in a shallow tray. The belt was operated by hand-power, and the height of the latex trays was adjustable. The trays of latex were situated at the lower end of the machine which lay outside the smoking-chamber. It will be understood that the vastly major part of the total length of belt was always within the chamber. Smoke was generated by combustion of wood in an external structure, was brought into the chamber by a wide duct, and was then distributed below the belt by means of perforated pipes. The thin film of latex picked up by the belt was coagulated partly by the action of smoke constituents by evaporation due to heat. Assuming (1) that the belt was of adequate length, (2) that the rate of travel was not excessive, (3) that the latex was not too dilute, (4) that the temperature of the smoke was sufficiently high, (5) that the smoke was sufficiently dense and not too damp--then the process should be a continuous one. It will be clear that success could only be obtained by a careful adjustment of all these factors. The latex must, necessarily, be of a fairly rich consistency (at least 2-1/2 lbs. dry rubber per gallon), but unfortunately there is considerable difficulty in maintaining such latex in a state of fluidity for the period demanded by this process, without loss of latex. Naturally, the addition of an anti-coagulant would retard the rate of output of the machine to a marked degree. The layer of rubber thus formed on the belt was stripped off, and hung for further air-drying, as it still contained a fair percentage of moisture. As a really practicable method for treating plantation latex, the process failed by reason of its low rate of output over a given interval. This alone was sufficient to condemn it, apart from the facts (1) that it was not shown to be a cheaper method than coagulation by acetic acid, (2) that the resulting rubber was not proved to be of superior intrinsic value to rubber prepared by ordinary methods.