The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23


river on fire will be very ordinary
task, literally and actually. To-day
number of appliances depend entirely
upon the ability to burn water. The ma
vies of our own and foreign governments
employ signal-buoy for life-saying pur-
poses which carries compound known
as "calcium-phosphide," combination
of phosphorus and calcium, which, when
it comes into contact with water bursts
into flame. Quite mum Der of elements pro-
duce combustion on coming in contact with
water-phosphorus, sodium and others.
Now, neither the phosphorus nor the
sodium burns. 1t is the hvdrogen of the
water that does. The phosphorus andthe
sodium have q remarkable affinity Tor
oxygen, and as soon as they come into
contact with water the oxygen OF the
water is at once appropriated and the sep
arated hydrogen makes the fame. Pure
hydrogen burns with a colorless flame,
and so in the case OF the life-buoy, where
visible signal is desired, some calcium is
added to give white color to the burning
hydrogen.
Advantage of the wonderful richness OF
water in the elements OF combustion IS
taken in the production of the gas now
generally used to light our cities and
dwellings. Red-hot cast iron has great
affinity for oxygen. So in the manufacture
of water gas there is used cast iron pipe,
having its inside roughened. This pipe is
maintained at red heat, and while so
heated there is forced through it stream
of superheated steam. In its passage
through the hot pipe the oxygen Of the
steam is seized by the hot iron and ap-
propriated to purposes of oxidizatlon,
and there issues from the other end of the
pipe nearly pure hydrogen. 1t now SIM
ply requires that this hydrogen shall be
mixed with some carbon to render its
burning visible to fit it for illumination.
This is accomplished by causing the hy-
drogen to pass over the surface of gasoline
or other hydro-carbon oil, when it is
ready to use as an llluminant. Should the
gas be required only for the purpose OF
heating the carbonizing process is omitted.
What an increasing of freight capacity
would be had, what economy, if it were
possible to fit an ocean vessel with the
means of utilizing the element in which
it floats. to the production of heat and
consequent mechanical power. What a
simple solution of the question of settling
the treeless plains we're the settler able to
apply the water of the spring, or the
stream, or that of the rainfall to the
needs of his domestic ends.
The process of gas-making would in
volve more cumbersome apparatus than
could be used, and that of phosphorus is
too costly. Some other means must
attain to make the ocean available as
reservoir of fuel.
Electricity has thepower to decompose
water and to separate all water into its
constituent elements, hydrogen and oxy-
gen, SO that they may be collected in all
their purity in separate vessels. But In
the state of our present knowledge OF elec-
trical energy the process of electrolysis
will not permit of its application to the
production of hydrogen for any economi-
cal use in mechanical methods.
Recently the claim has been made by a
Swedish chemist of his ability to success
fully decompose water. economically and
with exceedingly simple means.
TO understand intelligently the claims
of the Swede we must have knowledge
of what water is. Water is mechanical
combination, not chemical one. Let me
explain. If you take some oil and water
and placing them in a bottle shake the
mixture thoroughly, there viii be pro-
duced milky looking result. Now set the
bottle aside for a period; then when you
next look at 1t you will see that the oil
and water have separated; the oil is on
top and the water at the bottom, their re-
spective positions being due to the differ
ence in their specific gravities. Now add
to the mixture some alkall, and again
thoroughly shake it. You have thep pro-
duced a saponaceous compound, soap,
that will not again separate into its COM
ponent elements, but will preserve its
soapy character. The first mixture was
mechanical one, the last chemical.
Water is an association of hydrogen and
oxygen held in mechanical mixture.
Professor Olstrom's claim is that he has
discovered means, electrical in charac-
ter, whereby superheated steam may be
separated into the elements of water,
hydrogen and oxygen, available for pur-
poses of complete com bustion.
am not in receipt of any sketch of the
apparatus employed and can only describe
the affair from the written text OF Pro-
fessor Olstrom's letter.
Should the Swedish savant's claim be
proven good and feasible-and it is within
the grounds of probability-what revo-
luton will be wrought. The length OF the
battle ships cruise will be measured only
by the necessities of her service. The
ocean liner will be able to diminish her
time of transit, by her ability to utilize the
space and weight now sacred to
the coal -bunkers in the enlargement
of her motive power. The freighter,
instead of having to sacrifice half of her
capacity to coal fuel, will use that space
for additional cargo. The maintenance
of railroad operation will be relieved of
the enormous expense of providing i'm
mense stores of coal at points far distant
from the mines. The individual every
where will be independent of the forest
and the "coal baron" Then will the age
of machinery spring into its loftiest pos
sibiiities. Man will simply ''turn the
faucet" Nature will do the rest.
FRANK NJ. CLOSE, Disc.