The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-21

SUITED FOR SOME PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Il Is no longer necessary in a newspaper
article to rehearse in detail the comparative
weights Of aluminium and the other metals
That ambiguitous person, the general
reader, NAV now, thanks to the prominence
which aluminium has attained. be assumed
to be tolerably familiar with its general
physical and chemical properties. Since
aluminium is, generally speaking, only one
third or one-fourth as heavy as the other
common metals, we notice this as its first
claim to peculiar usefulness. In this re-
spect 1t stands apart from aud superior to
all ordinary metals. The consequence of
this Is that wherever a metallic article
must be of given size and is wanted as
light as possible, aluminium puts in a claim
to be she metals best suited for such pur-
pose. Let the reader reflect moment and
he will be surprised TO find how many
articles or common use are fixed in regard
to size; in fact, almost all are, be they
spoons, cooking utensils, door knobs, pen
holders, paper cutters, or almost anything
one can think of. For all such purposes Il
VIII not attempt to enumerate them, where
ever hRhtness is to be desired, aluminium
stands first. and may replace any Of the
common metals. or course in considering
the praoticability Of making any article in
aluminium, the other properties about TO be
discussed should also be taken into consider
alton.
There are some purposes for which alu-
minimum is particularly suited because Of its
resistance TO corrosion; l mean uses for
which it would be peculiarly well suited,
even were it as heavy as the other metals
These uses are culinary untensils, surgical
instruments. interior decorations.
HEAT PASSES THROUGH 1T VERY FAST.
It reslsts so well the action of all kinds Of
food all the humors of the body and all the
various sulphur gases arising from burning
coal that for the purposes named it is al
most invaluable. In cooking, the wearing
out OF tinware. the rustiDg out of iron~
ware, the poisonous effect and difficulty
OF cleaning oopper-ware, the cracking of
enameled wear. Further. it has the light
ness to its credit, and it Is almost startling
to note the rapidity with which heat passeG
through 1t and cooks the contents with
much less fire than is ordinary needful.
After years use in our kitchen our alu-
minimum boilers are apparently as good as
new, and our scales-weighing to half an
ounce-fail to indicate any sensible loss
IN their weight They are the per-
lection of cooking utensils. Regard
ing surgical instruments, those made of
aluminium are so easily kept clean, the
metal is so harmless and light, that their
use has proved a veritable comfort to the
profession. For interior decoration alu-
minimum leaf takes the place of silver leaf
to perfection, aud keeps it's white color IN
changed in an atmosphere which would
turn silver black in day. Here its light
ness is unimportant, but for chandeliers
both these properties are of first import
anoe, and 1t is surprising that aluminium
gas fixtures are not In more general use.
1t is certain that we will soon see them
msdein large quantities and used almost
everywhere. We may, therefore, expect
that aluminium will in measure replsce
cast iron, timed iron, copper and brass for
culinary use, steel, german silver and brass
for surgical instruments. zinc, brass and
silver leaf for decorations.
ALUMINIUM Is VERY SOFT METAL.
Regarding workability, aluminium is In
some respects a peculiar metal Those who
study the metal and experiment with 10
patiently can learn to do anything they
please with it. 1t has striking peculiarities
which must be mastered, but when properly
taught by experience, any article can be
made of aluminium that can be made of any
other metal. For instance, In regard to
soldering, aluminium 10 ione of the most
difficult metals known. The difficulty of
soldering 1t easily and satisfactorily has In
times past been great hindrance to its use
in the arts. The writer has the pleasure of
saying that his father, Joseph Richards of
Philadelphia. has removed all uncertainty
from this question by inventing a solder
which is almost everything that can be de-
sired. It's successful use has removed one
of the greatest drawbacks TO aluminium 10
the workshop. The hammerihg, forging,
rolling, drawing, stamping, cleaning and
polishing of aluminium oil present certain
peculiarities which must be mastered before
satisfactory results are obtained; but when
once this experience Is had aluminium can
be easily worked into any shape desired.
Regarding strength, pure aluminium is a
a. II H. E,s-
frequently hardened by a small addition of
silver Nickel copper or ritanium, Just as
gold is hardened by silver or copper This
hardened aluminium is fully as strong as
ordinary brass, though It cannot compare at
all with steel. II is, however, strong
enough for all purposes except construo-
tions. and we may. therefore, say "that for
all the purposes heretofore named alumni
tum can be made as strong as the cases re-
quire. IL is, therefore, not lacking in
strength sufficient for all practical pur-
poses outside OF constructions.
IT IS SELLING CHEAPLY JUST NOW.
Regarding cheapness the writer has
lately been tempted TO aver that aluminium
is cheap enough. When we consider that
in many respects il resembles the noble
metals, and yet can be bought, bulk for
| bulk, as cheap as tin and almost as cheap as
copper, which are commonly regarded as
we have right to expect. II we can think
of the metals as worth outright so much a
pound, am quite ready to say that. con-
sidering what aluminium is and how it
compares with the other metals, so cents
| pound is a low price for it. AT that price
the world is getting cheap aluminium.
It is not to be overlooked-nor can we
| Justly complain-that articles made of
aluminium cost at present pretty high. The
reasons for this are two~fold. The low price
at which ordinary articles Of other metals
are sold is largely due TO their being made
in immense quantities. Asks manufacturer
TO make half a dozen spoons, or dozen
stewpans and it will be found that they
would cost many times as much as If they
were the ordinary kind made by Thousands.
| Again, working in aluminium re-
Quires some time and patience to
reach good results, and those who
have mastered the working of it
are looking for large profits. Some of the
greatest benefactors Of the aluminium in
| dustry at present are those who are search
ing out the easiest ways OF working and util-
izing aluminium, and by their efforts thus
opening up the market for larger and larger
consumption.
| Having, then, the metal in large quaint
ties at low price, know how to work il
| into any desired shape, using the metal al
ready at the rate Of 500 tons a year-what
| IF the futures