Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-04
ORIGIN OF ALUMINIUM
\ Correspondent Tells OF Early In
yestlgations In England.

Editor Deseret News. Your evenins
contemporary published an article on
Wednesday, March 49, 1906, under the
caption called The Age of Aluminium"
in which the paper states the produce
ton of aluminium began In 1883. Wheth-
et the paper meant the production in
the United States, or not, it does not
mention. The facts in the case are as
Follows Aluminium was first made In
LoEdon, England, by some of the most
learned scientific gentlemen of world
VIDE reputation. assisted by few very
bright ingenious sappers and miners Of
the British army. II was obtained from
a composition of pipe clay and soap
suds. like silver in appearance. spongy
IN nature, and lighter In density than
many kinds of wood After much OK
Fermentation 1t lay dormant and USE
less IN Woolwick arsenal for the space
OF IL years. Much OF It was made and
numerous metalurgists of experience
tried atvarious times to work 1t; try
ing-to them. at that time every con-
ceivable method, but all to no purpose.
The moment any extreme pressure
was placed upon II, as would have to
effect It In Il rolling mill, ii would re-
duce IL to powder, which was the rea-
son 1t could not be cut into pieces under
steam power shears. In the year 1867,
the writer being an employe of tho
British government, engaged In coin
ing money IN the royal mint Tower
Hin, London, where his forefath theirs and
himself had been employed for about
400 years, found great favor I'm the
minds of royal mint authorities on ac-
count OF his Inventive and improve
ment abilities When Il was discovered
the young man proved much In adj
vance OF general expectations, Tho
master OF the mint--Sir James Graham
a celebrated chemlst--wa authorized hv
the government TO give the young man
~ tons of metal to see what lmprove-
ment he could make over the old fash
ION, stereotyped way OF manipulation
IN producing coins of various metals
copper bronze. silver gold The re-
SUIT was 50 pleasing TO government off,
Gials that they rejoiced and said to
PROFESSOR Ancell. the masters assist
an, pubic lecturer on chemistry. etc.
In the Polytechnic and other scienttec
Institutions. to give the bow that All,
one remaining bar OF aluminium "a ~,
found In Woolwick arsenal 10 exner,e
ment upon. When the bar was brought
10 tne writer, he protested against the
whole or the bar being used az he
ginning requesting II to be cut into sIx
pieces, Why, said Professor AnrslI ~
mat could have been done without 40.
sttoVing II there would have been M
necessity to bring II to you, THAT mvs.
tined the writer and he wondered what
course to pursue? Having n largo
bucket OF very hot water close 10 the
mil Tor the purpose OF cleaning ana
putting extra polish on tho rollers PRO,
lessor Ancell suggested droppinR IN.
metal into the hot water. The Thought
struck the writer Ike an insnIration
mat boiling water would be much more
effective. Then placing a red hot iron
ball Into the water kept II boiling The
effect on the aluminium while rolling /,
ont into thinness proved an astonishing
success.
Us to that time small piece of cork
Weighing quarter of a grain wa tho
llghtest weight used for coinng Thought
~, Now having reduced aluminium IN
almost the thinness OF gold leaf one.
grain OF II was then marked ont In
equal divisions the lines being one
eighth Of an inch apart. both from left
20 right, and mp and down, then cut
into 1000 pieces thus producing
weights. zach piece Weighing hut two.
thousandth pert of a grain. Then hav.
Ing our scales--at that time called bal.
ancos-made 10 serve the small weights
coin could be perfected 10 almost OK.
actness Then in that year--is57-the
public. especially watchcase makers I'm
Clerkenwell. commenced mixing a trI-
flo Of aluminium with other metals II
has continued To increase until now II
can be almost used alone.
A PRACTICAL COINER.