policy, the advantages of communication and coiiperation, whcncvcr practicable, are conspicuous and unquestionable ; and their trcniendous univcrsal effect is manifested to us in this ncw age through the activity of technical schools, technical journals, and above all, technical societies.

Perhaps the grcatcst tnetallurgical novelty of the 20th ccntury has bccn thc development of electric smelting through the i ~ t ilization of watcr-powcr. Through this industry, Sweden xiid Norlvay, rich in minerals but poor in fuel, are coming rnpidly to the iront, as competitors with those nations which have hithcrto becn recognized ds natural leaders by reason of their supplies in coal. This change would be momcntous, i f it concerned thosc two nations only; but lately I found my

professional brethren in Japan, standing tiptoc, as i t Jvcrc, bcsidc the mountain torrents of their Island Empirc, watching cagcrly, and alrcady beginning to imitatc, thc metallurgical practice of the Antipodcs.

I n short, gentlemen, I have arrived, Iiy way of this desultory and imperfect discussion, at thc conclusion which I might h a w stated with cloqucnt conlidencc a t the tjcginiiing: iianicly, that your Socicty and similar organizations for the inlcrchangc of knowledge constitute the most potent agency and thc brightest glory of this New Agc.

Whatever you may think of thc dctnonstration, I humbly submit that you ought to be pleased with thc proposition!

CURRENT INDUSTRIAL NEWS THE PRODUCTION OF CALCIUM CARBIDE AND CYANAMIDE

IN NORWAY The C'hcnlikev-Z€ilZ~ilg (37, No. 6, 6 j ) reports that the plants

of thc Alby United Carbide Factories, Ltd., of London, in Odda, Norway, will, aftcr the completion of the extension to its works in June, have an annual production of 80,000 tons of calcium carbidc, of which. according to a thirty-year contract, 57,000

tons arc to he delivered cacli year to The Nitrogen Fertilizer Co., the rest rcniaining for the production of acctylcnc. The Nitro- gcii Fcrtilizcr Co. has taken over all thc sharcs of the Alby factories, and, in rcturn, has given sufficicnt of its own stock to IIC ;tl)siilutcly dominated by thc Allby xorks. Thc Nitrogcn 1:rrtilizcr Co. has also acquircd the plant of thc Northwcstern C'yaiiainidc Co., near Odda. The annual capacity now amounts t ( i 18.000 tons (of calcium cyanamidc. The production is sold out for months to comc, for thc demand is not only for cyan- amide for icrtilizcr purposes, but also for use in the production of ammonia according to Ostwald's process. Therc is a reason, therefore, why the Nitrogen Fertilizer Co. has interested itself financially in thc Nitrate Products, Ltd. , which concern owns the patents on Ostwald's catalytic process for the principal countries.

. ~ ~~

POTASSIUM SALTS FROM SEAWEED 7'hr .1 wc,vira,t Feulilzzev. 38, 49, states that the l3ritish Consul-

(kiicral a t Sari Francisco reports that two attempts arc now I)ring inadc to rxtract potassium salts from scaivced on a com- mercial scalc, but that the industry has so far not passed the cxperiniental stage. One company treats 40 tons of kelp daily, obtaining about 20-30 per cent. of potash from it. The kelp is gathered from the beach, and so contains a good deal of sand. I t is dried on the beach by being turned over by hand, and is then burned in an open hearth. The residue is a chloride of potash, which has to be further treated, as only sulfate of potashlis used in California. This process requires no fuel, and, though i t is crude, yet the results afford good reason for thinking it may be made profitable in time. The other method consists of gathering the kelp in the water by a special cutting device carried on a barge, which ensurcs that no sand is present, the potash produced beingfthcrefore much cleaner. The kelp is treated in closed retorts heated by petroleum. One ton of dried scawccd is estimated to produce about j jo pounds of chloride of potash, zoo pounds of sulfate of potash, j pounds of iodinc, 2 0 0 pounds of fertilizer and 4 j pounds of gum, creosotc and \\-aste. It is intended to equip the factory a t which the kelp is treated with an apparatus for the production of cyanidc and chlorate. i J f 1)OtaSh.

THE COBALT OXIDE MARKET The Eizgz ' j i twz ' tzg arid Mi i i i i zg J o t k r m l , 95 , z 14, states that the

HAMOR

trade in cobalt oxide is closcly controlled. and the pricc during 1 9 1 2 was hcld at $0.80 pcr pound without change; for 1913, ail advance has been made, and So.90 has becn announced as the figure for this year's contracts. Except for the imports by thc International Nickel Co.'s subsidiaries, there is but little CCJbdt oxide imported. Thcrc is a duty of zj per ccnt. on the com- mcrcial article, but a few customers adhcre to thc cstablishetl European brands and arc willing to pay the premium their usc cntails.

Thcrc is some recovery from ,the Cobalt-district ores. but I)y no means so g c a t as would be possible with a more widely cx tcnded usc of the mctal. Thcrc is no production of thc nictal as a by-product of coppcr rcfining. I t is rcportcd that thcrc arc over 3,000,000 pounds of cobalt-nickel rcsiducs a t thc Cana dian and American rcfincrics treating Cobalt-district ores, biit

statistics of production arc not availablc. Thc Canadian Government is conducting cxpcrimcnts to tcst

the application of cobalt as an alloying material for stccl. Thc results arc reported to be encouraging, but i t is likcly that t h c final outcome will be only a market on the basis of the prices of nickel, that is, from $0.30 to $0.40 per pound for thc mctal: this conclusion is based upon the chcmical similarity, practically speaking, of cobalt and nickel. An outlet for some cobalt products may bc looked for in thc direction of paint driers a n d special cutlery, ctc.. mctals: but thc principal use now for col,alt is LIS a coloring for blue glass and for pottery cnamcl.

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THE MARKETS FOR CAUSTIC SODA AND SODA ASH The following information is taken from The Chemical Tvadc

Journal, 5 2 , 3 : A certain amount of caustic soda is imported into Francc, but

large quantities are produced in that country and the exports are almost I j times as great as the imports. The exports of soda ash are said to be about 20 times as great as the imports. The French caustic soda and soda ash come principally from the northeast in the Department of hleurthe-et-Moselle, a region rich in salt mines. The principal soap-making centers of Francc are Marseilles (kitchen soaps) and Paris (toilet soaps).

In Germany, soda ash and alkali seem to be controlled vcry completely by syndicate arrangements, otitsidc of which thcy can not be had a t prescnt. X large number of Gcrman conccrns produce these articles, the most important bcing, perhaps, thc Deutsche Gold- und Silber-Schcideanstalt, of Frankfort, Jvhich controls the Electro-Chemische Fabrik Natrium and the Chem- ische Fabrik Residua, both of Frankfort. All German houses have given ovcr their export business to Brunncr, Mond and Co. and the United -4lkali Co., of Livcrpuol, and these firms seem to be the instruments through which the export trade is distributed

The imports of caustic soda into Italy average about @oo,ooo

2.52

per year, with a probability of increase as Italian glass, soap, paper and cotton manufacture are further developed. Italy itsclf produces only a limited quantity of this material, and i t is therefore dependent largely upon foreign markets for its sup- ply. Imports of soda ash amount to over $I,OOO,OOO annually. The imports of crude caustic soda come principally from Great Britain and France, and the same countries lead in exports of soda ash to Italy.

The caustic soda and soda ash used in the Durban district (Natal) is a t present purchased from Great Britain and Germany. The consumption of caustic soda in Natal is from 100-1 j o tons per month, and of soda ash from 40-jo tons per month. There are two soap factories in Durban, and these are the only concerns which use caustic soda or soda ash to any extent.

The imports of caustic soda and soda ash into Japan are practically all from Great Britain. About ~o,ooo,mo pounds of caustic soda and ~2,ooo,ooo pounds of soda ash are imported annually for consumption in soap, glass and paper factories.

THE PRESERVATION OF TIMBER Several papers of interest to the chemical engineer were prc-

scnted at the annual meeting of the American Wood Preservers’ Association in Chicago, January 21-23, 1913.

H. von Schrenk discussed the requirements for successful timber treatment. He pointed out that the amount of material actually treated each year is ten times that of seven or eight ycars ago. In order to obtain good results from treated timber, hc said that the following points must be observed :

( I ) Only perfectly sound timber should be treated. (2) Properly seasoned material should be used. (a) 4 good preservative is essential. (4) Proper injection as to quantity and penetration is neccs-

(5) Proper subsequent handling of the timber is cssential. Investigations of premature failures of so-called treated timber

have shown that they were attributable, almost without excep- tion, to the non-observance of one or more of these principles. In the early days of wood preservation much timber was treated which was sap rotten. However, the consumer frequently makes demands which cannot be fulfilled, and if they are they are bound to result in ultimate failure. The inspection of ma- terial before treatment should be made with great care, and cvery treating company should be empowered to refuse to treat material which i t knows to be defective. The same holds truc for improperly seasoned material. In treating green-red oak ties with z gallons of creosote oil by the full-cell process, the pcnc- tration is insignificant and internal sap rot is bound to occur in a comparatively short period of time.

H. F. Weiss reported the results of an investigation wherein he compared zinc chloride with coal-tar creosote for treating ties. In 1911, there were 9,445,961 ties treated with zinc chloride and 16,510,721 ties with coal-tar creosote in the United States. Zinc chloride and coal-tar creosote, when used under normal conditions, are both effective preservatives of cross-ties, and there is little choice between them so far as aanual charges are concerned. Creosoted ties generally cost initially more than Burnettized ties, the cost of treatment being two or three times as great. Creosoted ties last, on the average, longer in the track than Burnettized ties, hence require less frequent renewals and changes in the roadbed. If creosote advances appreciably in price, i t will very probably result in stimulating the number of ties treated with zinc chloride.

sary.

TAR AS A FUEL FOR OPEN-HEARTH FURNACES The Indiana Steel Company, of Gary, Ind., has been investi-

gating the use of tar as a fuel for its open-hearth furnaces in the place of producer gas. It is reported that the results of these experiments have been very successful, and at present two fur-

naces in open-hearth unit No. I are being run exclusively with tar as i t comes from the by-product coke oven plant. The tar is handled very much like fuel oil, being atomized with steam i n burners similar to those used for oil.

A NOVELTY I N GAS ENGINES The Gus Age , 31, 77, states that a recent novelty brought out

in England was a gas engine fed with powdered coal through a hopper a t the ignition end. The coal passes through tubcs ( 2

inches in diameter in a 100 H. P. engine) into the combustion and exhaust chambers, where the heat drives off the gas, which then becomes mixed with the air drawn through the tubes. In the “Low” coal gas engine the inventor claims to be able to produce I H. P. with one-half pound of coal and 90 pounds’ pressure. If the claims are correct, this “gas producer engine’’ may intercst those who are obliged to dispose of large quantities of coal dust.

THE BRITISH METAL TRADE IN 1912 IMPORTS EXPORTS

L O N G TONS LONG TONS

Copiwr.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130,581 5 7 , 4 4 1 Tin(n) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60,348 43,663 Lead.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 ,J i . i 5R,685 Spelter.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L57,604 I O , 70‘) Minor metals (nickel, aluminum, minor

metals and alloys). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 , 8 x 9 2 S , .54’J ~Cercury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,582 1 , 0 7 0 Pyrites.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 907,157 Nouc

( ( I ) Tin ore aud concentrntcs imported were 2R.652 tons, princiiinlly frutn llolivia and South Africa.

IRON AND STEEL STATISTICS FOR 1912

PRODUCTION A N D COXSUMPTION IRON ORE

1.osc I U K S

Lake Superior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48,410,477 Southern States.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 , 5 9 0 , 000 Other States.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 ,485 ,000

Production in the Unitcd States . . . . . . . . . . . 59,485,477 Imports.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ,200 ,000

Total supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 ,685 ,477 Deduct exports.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,307 ,000 Increase in stocks., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200,000

Consumption.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60,178,477

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____

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l’hc consunlption in 191 1 anlountcd t o . . . . . . 43 ,.57 I , 5.36

S0UNCR.S 01’ ] R U N O R E Ib1I’UK.I.S

I.olla tolls, 1 1 mu ending Novem-

ber 30, 1912

Cuha. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,259,513 Sweden., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 ,796 Newfoundland and Lahrador. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124,585 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 ,714 Spain., . . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83.631

Total imports amounted to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ,904, ,594

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PRODUCTION OF PIG I R O N

Poundry and forge.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low phosphorus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bessemer.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Charcoal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spiegeleisen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ferromanganese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Total production.. . . . . . Imports.. . . . . . . . . . . . . Exports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Consumption. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Consumption per capita. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TONS , . . 6,096,254 . . . 282,359

. 11,385,297 . . . 11,394,477 . . . 347,025 . . . 96 ,346 . . 125,379

29,727, 137

268 ,000 , , . 30 , 100,000

125,000

, . . 703 pounds