The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-03-26
SCIENr!FlU.

ALUNiNuM Seventeen year,
have passed since Deyiile FIRST produced
aluminium on y Commercial scalej but the
expectations regarding this very interest.
ing and incmtorious invention Of the dis
tinguished French chemist have not as
yet been fulfilled. Although many Of
those expectations were somewhat exag-
gerated. they were not so unreasonable as
many people believed them to be; for a
metal with so many valuable properties
would be useful in many of the technical
arts. Among these properties are a beauti-
full color that does not change in the air, nor
yet in sulphurous exhalatlons. and further
remarknblo hghtness, an agreeable reason
ance, and a. capability Of being worked into
any shape. Moreover, in the use or man
ipulation of aluminium, there have not
hitherto been observed any deleterious
effects.
It is generally conceded that the cost,
md not the absence of properties which
, bake other metals valuable, has prevented
ne more extensive application of alumi-
hum and the price, although it was con-
hderably less than it was at first, has re-
maincd high for many years. The cost Of
production Of this metal, which can only
be extracted by the use of sodium, cannot
possibly be the only cause of its high
price for the commercial manufacture of
sodium may be considered as a solved prob
lem and as soda ash is very cheap, sodium
might be produced at a moderate cost If
the demand were greater than it is Large
production is caused by large consumption.
and theuse of aluminium has been hitherto
limited, mainly because custom and use have
in measure opposed the introduction of
of such novelty, except for fancy articles.
Stories have been told and written
about poisoning by cooking vessels made of
copper, by glazings containing lead, and
tho formation of verdigris on spoons of
(alloyed) silver; but if people were only
determined to produce these utensils from
aluminium, all danger from poisoning
would be removed, and they would have
vessels, the appearance and durability of
which would leave scarcely anything to de-
sire. They would be more convenient to
handle than our light crockeIy ware. for
they can be made as light, and, what is i'm
portant, cannot be broken. Splendid
pitchers, plates, goblets, lamps, ETC., might |
be manufactured from deadened and en-
bossed aluminium and the lightness of
spoons of this metal would make them moro
convenient than those of silver now in use.
In this case it is not the price, but only |
prejudice, which presents itself as draw |
back, for the price is only half Of that OF
good silver; besides, the difference in the |
specific weights of both metals and the
consequent cheapness in the use of alumni
mum are SO great that, for the value of one |
silver spoon, at least seven equally alunli.
mum spoons might be bought. True, alu-
minum is neither a rare nor noble metal;
but it possesses, nevertheless, advantages
over aloyed silver which gives it much
finer appearance it does not get black,
nor does it form verdigns, and what itlacks
N brilliancy and appearance is well COM
pensated for in its agreeable lightness.
But, unfortunately, it has been found i'm
possible to plate with aluminium, either by
the electro-g galvanic or the foil method.