Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-04
THE COMING METAL.
Facts About Aluminium and How 1
Threatens TO Displace Iron and steel.

Facts About Aluminium and How 1t
Threatens to Displace Iron and steel.
From, the Pitts5tsrg Dispatch.
''The metal of the future" said promi-
nent mechanical engineer to me, sis alu-
minum. In a few years it will displace
iron and steel, and simply revOlutiOnize
industrial arts everywhere. The millen-
ium Will be the age Of aluminium"
But" said !, ''iron is the cOmmonest
OF all metals, and aluminium is compare
lively rare. Is there enough aluminium
in the world to take the place of iron -
Yes said he, "and your former as
sumption is an error. Aluminium is the
most plentiful of all metals. Tho world
contains ten times as much OF it as iron.
1t is everywhere. Every clay-bed Is an
aluminium mine."
"What is the reason" l asked, "that 1t
has not already come into general useY'
"The great cost of producing It." he re-
piled, ''rhe metal called sodium is used
in the production Of aluminium, and it Is
very expensive. Numberless methods
have been tried. and hundreds of chemists
all over the world are deyOting their lives
to the task of finding cheap way Of pro-
ducing aluminium. The man who sue
ceeds will be more fortunate than though
he had found the philosophers stone. Who
ever can produce aluminium at$1 a pound
will make fortune, while aman who can
make 1t for p cents pound can buy out
the Rothchilds in day"
WORTH $4,000 A TON.
"What is the cost OF aluminium now?'
"Ihe raw materials for making IL are
not worth $50 a ton. That is. 500 for
enough to produce "A ton Of the metal.
But ton OF aluminium perfectly mana
featured is worth at least 100000"
"What are the valuable properties Of
aluminum?' asked, 'and 10 what uses
can it be appliedp
1T can take the place of almost any
other metal in the world" said he, "and
very largely hat Of wood also. In the
first place il is very strong. Its tensile
stren2 tn is more than three tons TO the
square inch greater than that Of the hest
Bessemer steel. In fact, il is by far the
strongest metal known. A c0uuOn made
OF il would be three times as strong as one
made of steel or gun.metal. Its very still
or rigid, too; three times as rigid as the
best Of bronze. Another Important
thing is that il will not tarnish.
Neither air. nor water. nor salt, nor acids.
nor corrosive gases haue any effect upon
IT,. Neither does intense heat change 10.
color. IL ia sthe best conductor of heat
known IN the world; also Of electricity.
II would make the best telegraph wires
IN tue Woflu, having TWICE tine cOn-
duciive power Of copper, with only
Third ofthe weight, and lasting practically
forever. 10 Is very ductile. aud can bo
drawn into wire more easily than almost
any other metal. Moreover. IL is easily
worked, either cold or hot. 10 r. suitable
for anything that iron or steel or copper
or brass or bronze or gold or silver Is
used for, from the wheels Of u watch 20 "A
monster steam engine"
How does 4. compare In weight with
the other metalsY
cit is by far the lightest; lighter, in
deed. than many hard woods. u rs little
more than onp-third the weight OF cast
iron. To be exact. a cubic foot or alumni
mum weighs only 1865 pounds The same
sized block OF cast-irnn weighs about iji
pounds. of copper 5jijs pounds. Of lead
700 pounds, of brass 525 pounds and of
gold 200 pounds. lu brief. 10 H. Tho light-
psi, easiest worked, strongest. most dura.
blc. and generally most valuable of an
ineluie. aud the man who inyents ard
patents method % making d. choanly
VIII reY0lut0uize industry aud become
richest man Ia The w0rld.D