New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-24
CHEAPER SUGAR PROMISED.
A POSSIBLE REVOLUTION IN GREAT
INDUSTRY.
DR. GEr;I,l.INGs OF JAVA. sAlS THAT HE CAN
MAKE TABLE SUGAR OUT OF STARCH
THE CHEMICAL PROBLEMS INVOLVED

POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES.
II a story which was telegraphed to this counp
try from Europe a few days ago and vas told IN
two or three quick sentences, should prove to Be
correct a great revolution In the sugar indus
try will be effected within a few years. This
change ought to benefit the general public by
reducing the price Of a commodity which every.
body uses and it should prove especially ad-
vantageous to American farmers II may also
render necessary a recasting Of the tariff sys-
tenn and ii is not impossible that il may affect
American commercial and political relations
with Spain and Germany. on the other hand.
Louisiana may have occasion 10 bewail an ad-
verse fate that paralyzes one Of her great agri.
cultural interests, and the millionaire importers
and reiners Of sugar may be obliged completely
to reorganize, if they do not abandon, theh
present business.
The announcement TO which reference Is here
made is that a chemist in Java. DR. Primer
Geerngs, has discovered A way 10 make cane
sugar out OF starch The man who puts forward
this startling claim is a government ofhcial
was formerly professor Of chemistry In AM
sterdam. is a recognized expert sugar.
corning which ne has written many articles for
publication during the last few years, and h
has some so far as 10 file a description of his
process tconGdentially) with the French Acad.
envy OF Sciences, in order TO secure his priority
rights an inventor. He is not ready yet
TO take the public into his confidence
For the present, Of course. II is impossible to
determine the truth Of this declaration But il
is not too soon TO consider the nature ~ the
chemical problem involved, or the probable ef-
feet on various industries If DR. Geerlings is
really able TO do what he processes.
Those who have had occasion TO look INTO the
matter are well aware Of the difference between
what is called grape sugar" and cane sugar"
and also how closely both of them resemble
starch in their composition. The chemists ten
US that all three OF these substances are made
up Of precisely the same elements but in
slightly different proportions. \ molocule Of
starch contains six atoms Of carbon ten Of
hydrogen and five Of oxygen Crap. sugar
(Which in "A liquid form is known as "glucose)
contains SIX atoms OF carbon, twelve of hydro
gen and six OF oxygen IT, then on. could per.
suade two atoms of hydrogen and one If oxy.
gen uhe constituents Of a moleculo of water) to
unite chemically with mole,ule of starch the
product would Ice a moocule Of grape sugar,
or glucose
Now, this is precisely what various enter
prising manufacturers are already doing tilu.
cose and grape sugar are extensively used as
aduiterants where cane sugar should he
pl"y'd. They are available chiefly. however,
only To confectoners and brewers The great
difhculty IN inducing glucose TO crystallze and
It's inferior sweetness compared with can, sugar,
render 1t much less valuable than the sugar Of
commerce There was time when great hopes
were entertained OF the possibilities ~ glucose:
out from the point of View OF the sroccryman
they have proved utterly futile And this ex.
perience renders him sceptical II you talk TO him
to-day about Or. Geerlngs's alleged discovery.
Another class Of sugars. made from cane Juice.
bcets and maple sap have the game chemical
composition, but differ in this respect from grape
sugar. The generic name for cane sugar
sucrose, and tn. formula is as follows. Twelve
atoms OF carbon, twenty two ot hydrogen and
eleven of oxygen. II, then, one could get Two
molecules Of starch and one OF water to unite
he would have jus, the right proportion Of The
three elements To make cane sugar. And TINS
of course. is What DIR. Geerlings has been n.y.
ing TO do. Whether he has succeeded or mol
another matter
This much. however, one should bear M mino
in considering the story: For twenty thirty
years a number of the most skilful chemists
have been at work on tasks OF the same ,harac'
ter as that which DR. t;eerlings undertook
Analytic chemistry" takes substances apan
and finds exactly what they are made Of. syn
thetic chemistry brings the elements together
i'm the right proportions, and seeks to MAKE them
combine. The latter class Of work ~ more dus'
cult than the former Attempts In TINS Oh
rection are not always successful. Nature has
followed a different method Of manufacture
perhaps from that which seems 10 man tne
simplest and best At any rate, the cnrih'S'
is often bafiled I'm his most ingenious ana ps'"''