The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-09-02
New Uses for Aluminium.

Aluminium bids fair to become. within
the next half century, one of the most
useful of metals. Scarcely a week GOES
oy that some new field of usefulness for
1t Is not discovered, says the Philadelphia
Press. From strong possibility of be-
coming the metal which enters most LARGE
~ into the subsidiary coins of the Unified
states government to the newest of shoes
TOT the feet OF horses, it runs through a
catalogue OF uses that is marvellous in it's
extent. Iron and steel have long been
known as the two most useful metals.
Aluminium must now be given an eoual
place with either of them.
The odd uses to which this metal is mt
are almost innumerable. The grewsome
metallic casket of copper and steel that is
used to hide away forever the mortal
tenements of humanity is gradually being
replaced by the lighter aluminium affair."
which answers the purpose more satisfac-
torily, and at the same time may be her
metically sealed.
Almost revolution has been created
by aluminium among the photographers.
The chances are that nine persons out of
ten suppose the old stone process, as it is
called, is still in vogue. This consists of
tracing on slab of stone, known as 18th
ographers stone, whatever it was desired
to take Autograph of. To print these
Autographs under the old system describ-
ed necessitated the use of "a flat press,
and this meant slowness of speed. With
the up-to date aluminium photographic
plate it is different. The aluminium plate
may be bent so that it will fit upon the
cylinder of fast press, making the speed
fully 100 per cent. greater, and thus saw
ing expense on the basis of the fact that
time is money.
so far as Uncle Sam and aluminium are
concerned there is much to think of.
Should aluminium, as seems very probable
now, succeed copper as the metal to use
at the mint, every person who utilizes the
penny will be affected. When the day
comes, each cent will be light weight and
a thousand times more convenient to car
~ about. For this use aluminium is also
preferable, it is said, from a hygienic
standpoint, as copper affords resting
place for the microbes of various diseases,
which aluminium certainly would no do.
Some months ago a series of expert
ments with aluminium We're carried on at
the United States mint at Philadelphia,
and although not as extensive as they
might have been, were sufficiently so to
prove that the substitution of aluminium
for copper in money was entirely feasible
The matter was reported upon by the
congressional committee upon coinage,
weights and measures, and in view of it's
report it is very likely that some action in
the matter will be taken at the next regu-
lar session of Congress.
Speaking of hygienic purposes of alum
mum, it is said to be as excellent a puli-
fer of water as there is. The salts of
aluminium are insoluable in water Con-
scquently, it is plain that when these salts
are formed the water can be strained and
the Impurities removed from it. Perhaps
the most popular method of publication
of water by means Of aluminium is what is
known as the trough method. The trough
is composed of plates of aluminium and
zinc or iron six or eight inches apart
One end of the tank affords an entrance
for the volume of water which passes over
the top of one plate and thence under the
plate next to it, this being accomplished by
the fact that the elevation of the plates is
different. In connection with this tank or
trough there is moderate sized electrical
generator Aluminium will not form the
negative pole OF current, but the other
plates used will. 1t is always the case
that when an electric current comes in con-
tact with water in this fashion it decom-
poses certain portion of the fluid, as it
were,
The result of this decomposition is that
ozone is formed and oxygen freed This
means absolute extinction to all microbes
or organic matter which the water might
contain, leaving it, after meeting the
publication the salts of aluminium oc-
casion, as clear and healthful as the water
from the purest spring, There are other
methods of purifying water by the use Of
aluminium, but they are not adopted to
any extent, the trough or tank system al
ways having been productive of the best
| results.
Possibly one of the greatest claims OF
aluminium to preference is that it is cheap
er; for, although the demand for it has
tremendously increased, there has been
no notable increase in price 1t costs less
than zinc or copper, for instance and it is
replacing them in many instances, such as
in the manufacture of paper and celluloid>
Even some of the most popular musica
instruments are made of aluminium. The
mandolin, the guitar, the banjo are al
constructed OF the metal occasionally.
Even the violin has been made of alum
mum, and very SUGGEST ully.