The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-09
ALUMINIUM THE FOE OF COPPER.
Tesla Predicts That IL will suppIant
the Red Metal.

The coming age will be the age Of
aluminium. said Nicola Tesla. the noted
years since this wonderful metal was dis
covered by Woehler, and the aluminium
industry. scarcely forty years old, COM
mauds already the attention Of the en-
tire world. such rapid growth has not
been recorded In the history Of civilizatio
before. Not long ago aluminium was
pound. today II can be had in any de-
sired amount for as many cents What
- more the time IL not far off when
this price. too, will be considered fanciful
for great improvements are possible in
the methods of manufacture
The absolutely unavoidable consequence
Of the advance OF the aluminium industry
will be the humiliation Of the copper
industry. They cannot exist and prosper
together, and the latter is doomed be-
yond any hope OF recovery. Even now
10 Is cheaper TO convey an electric cur
rent through aluminium wires than
through copper wires. ALUMINIUM castings
cost less. aud in many domestic and
other uses copper has no cnance Of sue
reduction or the price of aluminium cam
not but be fatal to copper. But the prog
rcss Of the former Will not go on I'M
checked, for, as 1t ever happens In such
cases the larger industry VIII absorb
the smaller one; the giant copper in
tcrests will control the pigmy aluminium
interests. and the slow pacing copper will
reduce the lively gait of aluminium. This
will only delay. not avoiu. the impend-
Ing catastrophe.
Aluminium however, will not stop at
downing copper. Before many wears have
passed il will be engaged IN "A fierce struE-
gle with iron, and In the latter II Will
npd an adversary not easy % conquer.
The issue of the contest viii largely de
pend on whether iron shah be indis-
peusable in electric machinery. This the
future alone can decide. White II Is
impossible TO tell when this Industrial
revolution will he consummstcl, there can
he no DOUBT that the future belongs 10
aluminium and that in times to come
u viii ne The chief means of increasing
human performance IL has In this re-
srect capacities greater by far than those
~ any nghsr metal. 7 should estimate
ITS civtliziug potency az fully one hundred
Nmrs THAI ~ iron.
This estimate, though it may astonish.
S. not AZ al exaggerated. First % all.
We must remember that there - thirty
times IS much aluminium as iron tn bulk
available f'r the uses - man Then.
acafn. the now metal De much more easily
workable. which adds Co rs value In
many W tts properties % pariak's q tho
hara.'fr ~ % pfe. iUus metal. which gives
81 additional worth. les electric cond1c-
nF!tF. ~atn. 'ar given weight fs
greater taaH fhN % lnF other metal
Wnua ae 1.Hur zafa,icut - make DO one
no rl 81 Important factor in future
ITS extreme ..btp.ss makes B, far mo-e
tN t' 'ftI-ft ,Ar collects m4n- fac
tarei ~" tlrtaH 70 tn,s pruo-r'F it VIII
r.f i4't.i1r HNtH' Instruction. and lU
g.. 'HHE transport ana grave. lr Will
N.l r'.u i~F '" 'ns 1-sf4. perform aii-e
t.N w. W.. -a,y, % aerial travel
N". ' f lf 'r ear a- lt hy
'eats .f -r. ti. Instruments viii
'f. .-,r. .r-an E'~c rae
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