1.01. XW., NO. 12.1 REVXE W. 259 B

am mlxture in :$ by vol.

PIW!dU?C. Aboluta atrnmplictea (1 ntm. P 700 mm.

mercury).

A basis is thus obtained for calculating tho. dimensions of a series of oxidation chambers, i t being assumed thit oxidation and ribsorption are conductcd alternately in separato operations as i n tlio experiniental plant.

Lct Z=vol. of gas passin through the chamber

per sec., measure$ a t its pressuro and at 30° 0.

n,=l\O-contcnt of gascs entering, in vol. per cent.

a,=KO-cvntent of exit gases, in rol. per cent. a=NO-contont of gas aftcr tho nth stngo. p=degreo of oxidation, i .e . , proportion of

NO osidised t o X02. tP,a= tirno of oxidation corresponding to

NO-content a, in secs.

V= totnl oxidation space. Va =correeponding oxidation space.

From equations (3) and (4) written i n the form : GN0,+3H,O =3HN0,+3HNO, 3HN0, = HNO, +2NO+H,O

wo seo tha t of tlio six mols. of nitric oxido oxidised, two mols. aro regonerated. That is, af ter tho n t h Stag0

vo = z. tp, 0.

According to Tablo IV. tho oxidation titno can bo ro\yritten tp a- K in wliich K is a constant, therefor0

~a=1;.K, und tho totiil oxidation spnco is

' - a

,Z.K v=2, or

.............. (10) v = Z p n 1

n=l(-B)n

TI10 fiunl loss ig

a+; fly 0, .................... (11)

Erciiii.ple.-IAet Z equal 3 cb. m., n,=l ' f i per cent., p=0'4, and let tlicro bo 4 stages and tho pressure Iw, J iitln. nbs. Then K=3'8, taking tlio cxiict vnluo for tlio oxidation timo and not tho approximation given in T:iblo 1V.

Fro111 uc~liaLlon (10) : - 3x24 1 1 '=m ( 0 3 +

end the final lms, by equation (11), ia

a- (1-2 X 0.1) ' X I d = 0.46% 3

With a pressuro of 1 abs. atm. K=46, Z = 12 cb. m., and, provided t h a t the other quantities bo tho samo ns before, V=32€!0 cb. ni.

Equation (10) gives a rather too high figure for tho oxidation space, since, t o obtain tho exact oxidation time, tho averago values for tho stages involved should bo substituted; but the differenco is not great, and for D low degreo of oxidation is negligible. To tho oxidation space, V, must be added an

absorption space, which must not bo neglected, although tho rnto of absorption is much greater than that of oxidation. Tlio nmount of absorption spaco cannot bo calculated exactly, 3s i t depends upon tho efficiency of tho nieans of bringing nitrous gnms nncl watcr into contact. A t ordinary pressuro i t is probably about 10 per cent. of the oxidation space. So far as t h e writer knows, the method of calculation here dereloped for estimating tho oxidation spaco is new. It mey also. bo applied to tlio usual method of absorption with packed washing-torcrs alone, in which oxidation and absor tion oocur in immediato se uence. A corre- sponzngly smaller degree of oxik~t ion must then bo included in tho calculation.

Su rn rria ry. Tho development of the process of manufacturing

nitric acid by means of erplosiro combustion is described and contrasted with tho complicated method of converting elementary nitrogen into nitric acid by tho cyanamide method, tlie synthesis of aninionin under high pressuro, and tlio complex apparatiis of tho arc procws. Starting from a tlieorotical basis, n description is given of labora- tory experiments and tho working of a large-scalo plant. Tho further development of tho process is foresliadorved, and tho sim lification of tlie npparatua required for the atsorption of diluto nitrous gases, by tho uso of pressuro, is demon- strated. A method is given for cnlculating the dimensions of nn nbsor tion plant bnsed on Boden- stein's researclics on t L velocity of formation of nitrogen peroxido.

THE REWARD OF INVENTORS IN GOVERNMENT EMPLOY.

COURTNEY TERRELL. Tho Ro iort of tlie Inter-Departniontnl Committee

appointeci to inquire into tlio reward of inventors in Government employ raises an acuto caso of tho problem of socialising individunl effort.

Tlio mutual dependenco of all brnnches qf indus- t ry in tlio co-ordination to meet tho r uirements of a great war 11n.s bcen den,onstrated%uring tlie Inst few years, and in 1916 tlio Depnrtment of Scientific :ind Industrinl ltcsenrcli cam0 into being to study scientific nnd ninnufacturing problcms of all kinds. Tho rclionrclies undortnken haru :in iniportnnco fur beyoi!d tlio obtnining of know- lodgo iiiiniecliately npplicnblo to war conditions. Tho Stnto lias now nssuiiiccl tho control of invosti- gntions wliicli niny in Innny cases result in inven- tions of great conirnercial importnnco. It lins long boon tho practico OI? tho Continent-for commercial orgnniaations to ninlntain laboratories in whwh nro employed workers who, in oxeltange for n small salary but reasonnblo security of tenure, labour i!i tho nioro ncquiremorit of knowledge for thew employers. If tlio investigation resulte in nn

a 2

200 B REVIEW. [June 30,1022.

invontion of coniniercinl vnluo tlio ternis of tho cniploynient 1161i~~~y nllow of tlio ciiiployeo receiving sonio share of tho reward in n?dition to his salary nnd security. Kcvertliclcss, 111 ninny c:ises tlio investigations undcrtnkcn can olrcr no field for tlic :icliicvcnicnt of p:itcnt:iblo inventions, and tlie main :ittraction to t h o research \vOrlicr must iiot k tho I I O ~ O of large fin:ineinl rcnnrd. Privato cliterprise directed with ini:lginntiori Iins in Gcriiinny suc- ccedcd in attracting tlic riglit men.

‘Tlic rcluctiincc of the ‘ I busiiiess iiinii ” i i i t h i s country to spend money on rcscnrch liiboratorics drove the C;ovcrnnir~it under tlic dress of wir, t o institute srlcll rstnl)lislllnents, nnd 11011’ tl1:tt v:ilunble iiirentions :iro rcliulting i vo arc f:rccd with tlic problcni of how to deal with tlic tiivciitionr; w h i ~ n they hnro hcen nindc, nnd how t o reivard tho rcscnrcli worker who has inade thcni.

Ueforo the w i r the inventions produced by Goverirnient scrvnnts w r o usunlly of dlrcct niilitnr npplimtion. Little tliiticulty nroso in denling rviti tho inventor; t.lio Government ivas in most cnscs tho only consumer, nnd i f tlic .invention had nppli- cat.ions in other ficltls of industry tliero ivns no h r n i in tho inventor receiving tlio profits of fiucli outside npplicntion. Jfucli the fin1110 relntionsliip e x i s t d hrtwecn tlio Govcrnincnt nnd its cinployccs in this rc- qmt, nfi in tho c:iso of tlio grcnt railway conipnnies :ind their employees. Now that tho Governmont has extcndcxl i ts sphere far 1)cyond the Iiutiiiicss o f governnient, now tlint i t undcrtnkcs tho investiga- tions of roblems of industrial manufacture, what is to bu &no with tho .inventions wliieh result?

A short-sighted policy might bo to publish such information as is obtnined by the us0 of public funds for uso by tlio wholo industrinl world, nnd to seek no monopoly protection under tho patent Inws. Uut k i t possiblo t o attrnct workers for rosenrch into industrial prohlems without nny hopo of rcniunerntion beyond n smnll though Escuro fi:ilnry? Sjocialists answer yes,” but they nro faced with the troublesomo fnct t h a t inventors are not socinl- ists. There is tho risk tha t n n investigator might bc tempted to coniniunicnto his knowledge to some- ono o u t d o tlie service who might obtnin n patent therefor. And even though (as is doubtless tho case) this would seldom occur, thorc is the furthor objection t l i n t tlio information when published might bo mado t,lio subject of patents in foreign countries, so tlint mnnufncturers in this country exporting goods would h a w t o pay tributo t o tho foreign “ inventor.” This, tlio writer believes, has nctunllg taken place .in ono instnnco n t least. This lnst is not indced, on insuperable objection bcnuso pntcnts nAgltt 110 applied for in this country :incl under tho Internntionnl Convention nbroad, and tho British nianufnoturors might be licensed free of royalty. Nevertheless i t is said that mnnufnc- turcrs will not put d o ~ i cnpitnl unless the arc assured of somo sort of monopoly as hy exc~usiro liccnco or owiicrshi of tho patent: Tho comprn- tivo fniluro of tho I: Llcences of ltrglit ” provlslons of tho Act of 1010 would seem t o justify this opinion.

Tho Committeo nppointcd to consider these mntters wns too large. Three or four niembors could havo dealt with tho nintter ns well ns soventmy; with so many ovory individual da i res to express lils views on every point; with n conseqiient wnsto of time nnd wonrinefe of thoso who wish to get to tho point. Tho Report is not well drnwn-arpments nnd conclusions nre niised i n exnfipernting con- fusion, niid miiny platitudinous truisms aro un- neccssnrily s t n tcd.

It is recomincndcd thnt n centrnl Pntents nonrd .should bo instituted. One committea of this !ioird is ta tnko ovcr the work of tho Roynl Commission, nnd there is nothing new in tho work i t Jios to do. Tho Treasury ;;ill still control tho decisions of tho committoo on mnttora of priiiciplo ” hut will not

ovcr-rule tlio committoo’s rewnrds in tho inoro nintter of tlic sum swarded. Patents nro to 110 nesigned to tlio Dopnrtmcnt ns beforo. 60 fa r tlicro 6eC11I6 to bo notliing new in t.lio proposals, which in ; i i i c+x form continuo tho enrlicr practice.

i h o really considcr:iblo proposnl is tlie ostnldisli- incnt of nn Esploitntion Coiiimittco ” of the l’ntcllts Do:ird. 1’:ir:igr:ipli 2s of thc Ilcport is ns follow :-I1 Tlio ninin task of tlio ICsploitntion Coniniittcc \vould, however, ho t o nrr:inge cithcr for t.ho sale of p:ltcnts or for their utio under licence. In order to pcrforni this t n s k s:itisfnctorilg, i t would 110 nccessnry for tho coniniittco to ctiiploy, ns : i d wl~cn required, 0110 or nioro sales :igcnts pnicl on conmission who would act on geticr:il instructions rcveived from tlio coniniittco i n e:ich c:iso, but would hnro considernldc freedom rilloned t o them in their ncgotiotions with prwpcctivo buyers or licensees. We :ire of opinion that ndcqiintc nie:ins should bo employed to ninko known :inlongst British firms tlio osistcnco of pitented inventions made with tho aid of public filnds, and thnt sucli invcntions diould not be olrercd t o foroign buyers or forcign licciisces until every effort 1i:ts been nindo to 1iegoti:ite suc- cessfully with I%ritish firms or firnis under Uritisli cmtrol . Furtlicr, \vc consider t1i:rt wherever porisihlc, nny foreign pntents tnken out by tho 1titer-l)cpartinc~itnl I’ntcnts Ilonrd S h O i l h l be sold outright, sinco tlio holding of foreign rights I N :L Gocernnicnt orgiinifintioii might lend t o scri‘ous inconvcriienco if foreign pntonts used under liccnco by foreign firms were infringed or i f their validity were attacked and litigation i n n foroign country b e y i o nwemwy.”

ihis will menn in practico tlint tho sccrotnry of tho coniniittco will do tlio business, and i t is liero tli:it on0 detects tlio fn1l:icy of tho wliolc proposal. Tho secretary will bo n sort of snlnricil “busincljs man ” wlio will Iinve tho inestimnblo advantage tha t hc cannot be “sncked ” if tho business is badly done. IZo will havo to den1 with business firnifi :ind bo open t o nll tlio temptations of tho man who lins tho power to rrant concemions. Tlio conirriitteo a i t h i ts “ panet of business men ” (cf. paragraph 12) will sink into insignificnnco oven though they do their utmost to kccp control. In timea of pence tho I ‘ business ninn I’ will not attond board meotjngs for which Iio is not paid nnd in whose de1ibor:itions 110 has no direct interest.

Tho proposal is ono fitop further in tho direction of commcrcinl critcrpriso by Govcrnmf,nt Depnrt- nicnts, :ind ouglit to be condcmnd 1 110 niistiiku lies in the notion tliiit tho patents ohtnincd by tlio work of Govornnicnt rcscnrch workora slioulcl bo denlt with in tho interest o f tho coninicrci:il in- vestor. In the writer’s opinion i t would 1m.lwttcr statesmanship to ondorso nll such pntents ‘‘ licences of right,” nnd to let tho Awards &ntmittee giro n dcfinito proportion of tlic suin derived from royalties to tho inventor. Tlio inventor niight bo nIIowed to mnlto any ciforts 110 cl~oso to indiicu mnnuf:icturcrs to tnke u p tho invention. Tho publi- cation of t,lio informntion would sooner or Inter result in applicntionr; for liconccs, even n t a com- pnrntively sni:rli roy:ilty, and patents griinted might bo cscnipted from tho p:iynicnt of fees.

Tlio scliemo recomniondcd by tho Conimittco is dnngerous. Finnnoiril groups enjoy enough power as I t is, and tho esietcnco of n body with power t o gr:int vnlun1)lo concessions will inevit:ibly load to , well-ltnoan evils if cfficicnt, and if inofliFiont t o a

tho inventor. Tho investigntor a )pointed to iiiqiiiro into iiidustrinl tlifficultics slioulcl linvo cnougli knov+- Icdgo to cnnblo him to open negotintiorls, nnd i f tho tornis denintided iiro oxccssivo tho cxistin miicliin- cry by which tho Coniptrollor could fix 810 terms is quite :icIecliinto to protcut tho inventor 11s well :E- tliu 1)opnrtmcnt :uid the niunufncturer.

usolc.ss \vllStU of nlollcy 41nd to tho dlsappol~ltnlc!llt~of