The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-07-27
WHAT FREE ALCOHOL MEANS
TO THE INDUS TRIAL ARTS

Nh"N ANiN obiAi SUM- VI NiiN european
nations have had the advantage of us.
since they have been enabled to Sc
cure supplies OF ammunition at n much
smaller cost. Tax-free alcohol is there
fore OF vital Importance to the country
from military point OF view. Most
OF our Eliminates. for example are
made in Canada from American alcohol
and returned to the United States TO
be sold.
The popularity of illumination by
means OF the incandescent mantle has
caused this device TO be made literally
by the millions. From one plant alone
In Camden, n. j.. come 100000 man.
ties a year The spirit required by
this company is about $4,000 gallons.
In the past II has largely consisted
OF wood alcohol mixed with cotton es-
pecially treated to form a coating
which protects the mantle while being
handled. 1t is this coating which is
burned of" when the mantle is placed
upon the fixture for service. In chem
ical solutions for Photographic work,
and for the artificial drying of mega
tivcs and prints, grain alcohol may be
considered invaluable. Substitutes have
been employed for 1t to a large extent
In America, but the price OF such ar
ticles in Europe averages considerably
lower than in this country. owing to
the higher grade of spirit which can be
employed tax-free. As an indication
OF the enormous quantity of inferior
substitutes utilized in place OF ethyl
alcohol at present. the report of the
Commissioner OF Internal Revenue
shows that during 1905 less than 49,
900 gallons OF ethyl spirits were used
by American manufacturers of aniline
dyes. soap, woodwork. Photographic
material, celluloid, and electrical ap-
paratus. Prior to 1852. when the in
ternal revenue law, which has been
abolished, went into effect, the annual
production of this grade of alcohol
was 90.000,000 gallons, OF which a large
percentage was consumed in industries
exclusive of the preparation of bever-
ages.
Thus far reference mas been made
only to some OF the minor ways in
which grain alcohol will take the place
of other fluids when the tax upon 1t Is
removed. Unquestionably. its i'm
portance as a factor in producing
light, heat, and power is of the great
est magnitude. Indeed. it promises to
become one of the main elements for
illumination in the United States, not
excluding petroleum, gas, and the
electric lamp, for the light produced by
1t is of a very high quality. We have
been chiefly familiar with the small
taper used in the sick chamber. where
the expense of buying alcohol at 40
and so cents a pint for this purpose
could be met. With a flame of intense
whiteness, almost free from odor, the
spirit lamp has recommended itself to
physicians ard To illustrate q
its advantage over kerosene and other
forms of illuminating oils. a French
inventor has perfected a lamp which
burns alcohol In connection with a
Welsbach mantle. The alcohol Is
drawn by means Of wick into the
burner, as In the example furnished by
the ordinary Kerosene lamp. by means
of capillary attraction. In thirty sec
onds after being lighted the light is at
its maximum brilliancy, unless 1t is
turned down purposely. Tests which
have been made with this type of lamp
resulted in producing illumination
equal to 25 candle-power for a period
of SO hours with consumption OF one
gallon of alcohol. This quantity there
fore sufficed for 1875 candle-power
hours. With the same quantity OF
kerosene and employing the same
lamp, the illumination was equal to
only 1888 candle-power hours, the aver
age candle-pOwer of the oil light being
but nine. Consequently, the total IL
Elimination furnished by the alcohol
was nearly double that of the oil The
tests referred to were conducted by
experts at the Electrical Testing Lab
oratories In New York. They agree
with the statement OF Prof. Rousseau,
of the University of Belgium, that al
cohol at 81 cents per gallon is more
economical as an illuminant than kero-
sene at Is cents per gallon, owing to
Its superior light-producing proper
ties. Prof. Rousseau bases his argu-
ment on a series of photometric tests
at Brussels. when 1t was
found that denaturiZed alcohol 90|
per co... absolute would give this re-
suit. 1t hes been shown In laboratory
Investigations that hlgh-grade kero-
sene contains but 5000 neat units per
pound, while ethyl alcohol contains
1900, thus being so per cent. more
productive of heat. AS already stated.
ilcohol has been made from both corr.
and molasses, at total cost not ex-
,eeding ~ cents a gallon. According
% Prof. Rousseau's conclusions. a
given quantity for lighting and heating |
is equal to at least twice the |
luantity Of hlghy-re6ned petroleum
n the form OF kerosene As recent |
market quotations for the latter nuid |
Il retail are from 10 10 20 cents per |
,alion, the fact seems to be verified |
'eyond question that the spirit IL pref |
rable 10 the oil from the standpoint |
4 economy, aside from the fact that
I IN without offensive odor, Is less
iahfe 20 ignition IN handling. aud
lives FAR better light or fuel where
is designed for cooking and other
Domestic purposes.
URlAV~