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HOW WE GET IVORY

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 12, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 15.

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HOW WE GET IVORY.

Not from Elephants Slaughtered for Their Tusks.

THE calculations as to the number of slain elephants represented by the acre of ivory displayed before the queen at the London docks points to the fallacy which still prevails that elephants are killed for their tusks.
"More ivory is sold in London each year," said Mr. Hales, the largest ivory broker in the metropolis, to an Express representative, "than would be produced if all the elephants in the world were killed.
"The ivory supply comes from the vast stores laid up for generations by the native chiefs. They know where the elephants' cemeteries are, for these animals go to a certain spot to die. This is how ivory is obtained.
"When the chiefs want a little money or other necessaries, they barter a portion of their stock. Ivory to them is what gilt-edged securities are to the English people."
Mr. Hales pointed out the result of the tax which was placed on the importation of ivory into England.
"It was imposed," he said, "with the idea of stopping the slaughter of elephants, but such a thing is so rare that it did not need any such restriction. As a result of the tax, ivory leaves Africa and Egypt by the Congo, and goes to Antwerp.
"In 1887 Antwerp did not sell a ton of ivory. Last year it sold 355 tons, against London's 205. In 1887 London's sales amounted to 330 tons.
"Besides elephant tusks, the teeth of the sea-horse, walrus tusks and boar tusks are used for ivory.
"The market price of elephant tusk ivory ranges from £15 to £90 per hundredweight; sea-horse teeth fetch from 7 pence a pound to 4 shillings a pound, and boar tusks 1 shilling 3 pence a pound."
-London Express.
The Sabbath-school lessons have been discontinued. The Lesson Quarterly may be obtained, containing three months' lessons and notes, for five cents. Address, Pacific Press, Mountain View, Cal. The Sunday-school lessons will continue.