FIREWORKS. GENERAL INFORMATION. 1913 tariff paragraph.—344. Firecrackers of all kinds, 6 cents per pound; bombs, rockets, Roman candles, and fireworks of all descriptions, not specially provided for in this section, 10 cents per pound; the weight on all the foregoing to include all coverings, wrappings, and packing material. Domestic production.-In 1914 there were 41 manufacturers, with a capital of $2,162,449 and an output valued at $2,296,236. "Display fireworks of all kinds are the principal manufactures of establishments in this classification (fireworks); among specific products are air torpedoes, bombs, mines, set pieces, shells, wheels, torches, rockets, colored fire, lands, electric sparklers, firecrackers, paper balloons, and roman candles." 1 Materials. The materials most used in fireworks are gunpowder or its constituents, carbon, sulphur, and potassium nitrate. Fireworks are so varied in form that many substances may be employed in their manufacture. Metallic salts are used to produce different colors; several oxidizing materials may supplant potassium nitrate and other explosives may replace gunpowder for certain purposes. Powdered aluminum, dextrine, and copper-covered wire are used in the manufacture of sparklers. Besides their scenic purposes, rockets, Roman candles, and Bengal lights are also used for signaling at sea. Imports and exports. -Imports by countries are not separately stated in official statistics, but practically all firecrackers imported into the United States come from China and Japan. Other fireworks were imported principally from Germany and France. Imports of bombs, rockets, etc., for the five-year period, 1910-1914, averaged 65,000 pounds, valued at $8,000, with revenue of $7,000, and those of firecrackers 3,390,000 pounds, valued at $216,000, with revenue of $254,000. Imports for the calendar year 1920 were: Bombs, rockets, etc., 14,987 pounds, valued at $4,071, with revenue of $1,499; firecrackers, 4,169,224 pounds, valued at $740,985, with revenue of $250,153. Tariff history.—The acts of 1883 and 1894 imposed an ad valorem duty of 100 and 50 per cent, respectively, on the importation of firecrackers. A specific duty of 8 cents per pound was imposed by the acts of 1890, 1897, and 1909. The act of 1913 reduced the rate to 6 cents per pound. Bombs, rockets, Roman candles, and fireworks were specifically provided for in the acts of 1909 and 1913. The former act imposed a duty of 12 cents per pound and the latter 10 cents per pound. 1 Abstract of the Census of Manufactures, 1914. Firecrackers of all kinds. Firecrackers of all kinds, but no allowance shall be made for tare .do.. Rates of duty, specific and ad valorem. 100 per cent ad valorem. 8 cents per pound. 50 per cent ad valorem. Firecrackers of all kinds, the weight to include all coverings, 8 cents per pound. Firecrackers of all kinds. Bombs, rockets, roman candles, and fireworks of all descriptions, 12 cents per pound. not specially provided for in this section. The weight on all the foregoing to include all coverings, wrappings, and packing material. Firecrackers of all kinds. Bombs, rockets, Roman candles, and fireworks of all descriptions, The weight on all the foregoing to include all coverings, wrap- COURT AND TREASURY DECISIONS. 6 cents per pound. 10 cents per pound. Shells made of paper containing a charge of explosive which after importation are equipped with a fuse, a cone, powder, or other means of propelling the shells through the air, were held to be fireworks. (Abstract 41751 of 1918.) Shells containing no explosive are not fireworks. (Abstract 33162, T. D. 33660, of 1913.) 64912-21-N-8- -2 MATCHES. [Par. 345, act of 1913.] GENERAL INFORMATION. Tariff act of 1913.-PAR. 345. Matches, friction or lucifer, of all descriptions, per gross of one hundred and forty-four boxes, containing not more than one hundred matches per box, 3 cents per gross; when imported otherwise than in boxes containing not more than one hundred matches each, of 1 cent per one thousand matches; wax matches, fusees, wind matches, and all matches in books or folders or having a stained, dyed, or colored stick or stem, and tapers consisting of a wick coated with an inflammable substance, and night lights, 25 per centum ad valorem: Provided, That in accordance with section ten of "An act to provide for a tax upon white phosphorus matches, and for other purposes," approved April ninth, nineteen hundred and twelve, white phosphorus matches manufactured wholly or in part in any foreign country shall not be entitled to enter at any of the ports of the United States, and the importation thereof is hereby prohibited: Provided further, That nothing in this act contained shall be held to repeal or modify said act to provide for a tax upon white phosphorus matches, and for other purposes, approved April ninth, nineteen hundred and twelve. Description.-Matches may be divided into three classes for purpose of description: (1) Friction matches, single dip; (2) friction matches, double dip; and (3) safety matches. The first two classes will strike on any surface by friction, while the third type, or safety match, must be struck on the side of the box which has been prepared with a mixture of phosphorus sesquisulphide and some abrasive material. In the single-dip match the necessary materials are all mixed together and put on in one dipping; in the double-dip matches the first coat contains an oxidizing agent, such as potassium chlorate, glue, and an inert filler, such as clay. The second dip, or tip of the match, contains the highly inflammable substance, such as phosphorus sesquisulphide, and an abrasive material, such as flint or ground glass. The double-dip match is probably used more in the United States than any other kind of match. The advantage of this match is that it prevents the "flying-off head," and is safer from fire hazard and for transportation. Materials.—The ordinary match is composed of a mixture of the four following classes of materials: (1) An easily inflammable material, such as phosphorus sesquisulphide or antimony sulphide; (2) an oxidizing agent, such as potassium or sodium chlorate, red lead, or manganese dioxide; (3) inert materials, as an abrasive, such as ground glass or flint, and coloring materials; (4) glue or some adhesive gum for the purpose of causing the head to adhere to the stick and to exclude the air from the head of the match. The match stick is usually impregnated with paraffin wax to make it ignite readily, and in recent years it has become the practice to also impregnate the stick with some chemical, usually sodium phosphate. The wood used for match stems in the United States is usually that of the white pine, while in European and Asiatic countries, the Russian aspen is used. Method of manufacture.-The manufacture of matches has been developed to the point where it is a continuous mechanical operation requiring comparatively little labor. The perfectly dried blocks of wood are cut into lengths of 23 inches and are then fed into automatic cutting machines. These machines cut about 40 match splints at one stroke and these are forced automatically into openings in a perforated iron plate which is in continuous movement. The match splints after being forced into the plate are conveyed over a series. of heaters and then through an arrangement which forces out any imperfect splints. The plates now pass over a trough of paraffin wax in such a manner that about one-fourth of the stick becomes impregnated. The matches now pass over a composition roller where the first dip is put on. In order that the first dip may have time to dry, the plates are made to travel up and down through a series of wheels and are then given a second dip. The finished match is now carried back toward the end where the blocks were first punched. Sufficient time elapses for the matches to dry. Here, the matches are automatically punched out from the traveling belt and automatically packed in boxes of the desired number. According to Rogers,1 the machine used for the double-dip matches is 96 feet long, contains 1,600 plates, takes one hour for the complete operation, and makes 8,000,000 matches in 10 hours. The manufacture of matches requires careful control of atmospheric conditions. The air in the match-making room is usually purified and kept within fixed limits of temperature and humidity. This is necessary for the proper dipping and drying of the matches. Also this careful control makes a more desirable atmosphere for the workmen necessary to operate the machines. Output.-According to the 1914 census there were 20 establishments engaged in the manufacture of matches, employing 3,800 wage earners, with a capital of $11,736,187 and an output of matches valued at $12,500,000. It is estimated that the production in the United States in 1917 amounted to 28,805,000 gross boxes of matches. Domestic export.-Prior to 1915 the domestic export of matches was between $80,000 and $100,000. About 50 per cent of the export was to Canada. During the period from 1915 to 1918, inclusive, the domestic export of matches was fairly constant at between $430,000 and $500,000. During this period France was the principal consumer. During the 1919 calendar year exports increased to $626,780, and in 1920 amounted to $514,592. Laws relating to the match industry.-Formerly matches made in the United States contained ordinary white or yellow phosphorus. The constant handling of this material in match factories by workmen led to the so-called "phosy jaw." The passage of the EschHughes Act in 1912 prohibited the importation of white phosphorus 1 Rogers, Allen, "Manual of Industrial Chemistry," 3d edition, p. 256. |