, 1892-10-05

ChNSt6, OFcI hIiICn 1T HUI ICltldI Lar ~ COH-
troll things are as they are, because multi
tudes Of antecedents and surroundings acting
in succession or together have brought them
to their present condition, and it is beyond
hope or expectation that individual effort can
alter or improve them. But fortunately for
mankind, history is full of examples which
sLew what great things can be done by midi
yiduals.
Lives Of GREAT men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And. departing, leave behind us
Footprints in the sands OF time
Without becoming ''great' or attaining to
sublimity, many have been able to accomplish
much for a community, or for an industry, by
tAeir own ability. dete1mmar ION and good
Judgment. Such an instance has Just come
under our notice, and although connected with
a land far way from ours and with an industry
very differ ent from ours. we think it will in
terest our readers to learn of it.
1t is we'll known that the petroleum industry
at Baku, a town on the S. w. shore Of the
Caspian Sea, has attained very great impor-
lance in recent years; but it is not SO generally
known that this Importance is largely due to
one man. The existence OF the petroleum
springs in the district is said to have been
known several centuries before the Christian
era. They are situated at about - miles
from y kl. on an arid plain slightly elevated
above the .oyeI Of the Caspian sea. Prior to
the last fifteen years they were worked on a
small scale and in primitive fashion. In 1874
VI. Nobel, q Swede, started q business house
ia B9Eu, and in the next year purchased u
petroleum business and commenced the pro-
duction Of the article on a small scale. At
that time the crude petroleum was conveyed
sron tIs springs to Baku in leather bottles III
skins carried IN carts. NJ. Nobel proposed IN
Tins colleagues that pipes should be Laid doNn
for the cheaper transport Of the raw material.
Finding no support he undertook to lay q line
OF pipes at his own cost. and quickly demou-
started that a great saving was effected by this
device. Other merchants followed his exam
pile, and to-day a dozen lines connect rhe
springs with Baku. NJ. Nobel hen turned
his attention to the conveyance Of the manu-
featured petroleum from Baku to the places
Whorei it was used. Atthat timebarrels only were
in use, but being dissatisfied with this method
he proposed to the company whose steamers
nayigated the Caspian and the Nolga, that they
should build tank boats for the exclusive con-
veyance Of petroleum. The company rejected
The proposal, aad then, we are told, NJ.
NobeIa tirsn constructed several Of these yes
sells at their WI expense, This innovation,
Of which even the Americans had not vet
thought, was accepted by the two petroleum
producing countries, and tank boats, the num-
Der Of which is constantly increasing, are now
TO be found on all the wateIs Of the civilized
world NJ. Nobel did not stop here wish
ing to improve the system Of carriage 10y land,
lac proposed to the railway company Of the
country tie construct special tank Wagons for
carrying petroleum. guaranteeing to keep
them supplied with loads for several years.
The railway authorities scoffed ut the idea, ond
it was by the expenditure Of very large sums
that the Swedish merchant constructed for
his own use the first tank Wagons. Scorn
vas Immediately exchanged for enthusiasm,
and to-day thousands of these Wagons Gil
culore on the railways of the Caucasian pro
yiuces.
such is an outline of what The Turkish Con-
sui General at liflis, in a report to the Turkish
Government, narrates of MIR. Nobel's career in
connection with the petroleum industry Of the
Caucasus region. Is it of any use to hold it up
as an example? 1t may be said that it is given
to few men to strike lie as NJ. Nobel has
done, and that there ale not many who are
blessed with the brains to strike it in the
way in which he has done. All Of which is
true enough but most of us could DO much
more than we do, if we would only make full
use of such talents as we have. We believe
that there is scope for active, determined aud
olaor bao1aJ MO ovop ~, n,r 1;+tlo ,e1,,1