The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-23

ore-carrying steamers, giant loader|
and unloaders. and a thousand AMI
one other contriyances have 80 cheaII
ened the cost of iron that IL Is NOV
beyond the competition of any foreigt
nation.
IL is In the application of metal
lurgical science that the American III
yentor shines. When the alchemi5
OF centuries ago sought to transmut
the baser metals into gold he laid tli
foundation OF modern chemistry. III
tho aid OF chemistry tine America|
metallurgist is able to give to irol|
properties which do not actually mad
gold, but do make riches In a hull
dred forms. Many people beliey|
that Dessemer. Of England, first il|
vented the modern process for mail
ing steel, but Andrew Carnegie, eel
tainly an eminent authority. givI|
the credit TO Pig Iron" Kelly, q
American. The invention of this pal
cess has revolutionized mining anil
metallurgical science. Today steel
being produced by electric furna
methods. and IL IL generally believiI
by metalIurgists that IL marks as III
portant an era in the manufacture
iron ore into steel as did the invdI
ton OF the hearth processes.
BY the use of various rarer metz
In combination with iron ore, I'll
metallurgist is able TO produce std
of widely varying qualities. One
the most interesting OF these Is col
bining vanavium with the ore in Y
furnace. A small percentage of vanf
ium added TO the ore will make
steel much more elastic and OF mt
greater tensile strength than the pu
steel. An experiment as to the re
tive strength OF vanavium and G
bon steel showed that in a vibrati
testing machine the carbon steel ste
90 900 vibrations as compared sw
l00, 900 for the vanavium steel.
carbon steel withstood 5000 blows d
light hammer. as compared with 10a
for nickel steel and $1,000 for vanavi
steel Some steels need TO suffer
loss of temper under tremendous hd
The addition of small percentage
tungsten gives 10 steel this quail
and tungsten steel is used in the nm
ufacture Of high-speed tools.
Many other of the rarer met
have been made to serve the mel
of the time. The metallurgist
found. for instance, that selenjum
better conductor of electricity WI
exposed to light than under other d
ditions. This knowledge has enaltN
him to perfect light buoy for
navigator which is almost autom3
This light consists of an acetylb
gas tank and an electrical span
operated by selenium cells. AS 81
as the sun ceases to shine on TIL
cells, the sparker is autcmaticI
operated. the supply valve automd
ally opened. and the light turned
When the sun comes up next mi
! ing and shines on the cells again,
| light is automatically turned off
| lenium also has been made to opel
the most complete burglar alarm
existence A burglar with a
lantern is almost certain to- dill
the rays Of his lantern upon the
lenium OF the alarm system. The
ment he does 1t sets a large a
ringing and automatically lights Ell
gas jet in the house.
Aluminium has been put. to nj
fold uses through a process OF
tracing il. discovered by Charles
Hall. of Oberin. Ohio. 1t Is true
European metallurgists brought
similar methods about the same d
but the American method is the j
widely used. Aluminium was at
| time SO scarce that II was vi
5000 a pound. Today it is so CT
that combs. cooking utensils,
/ hundreds of other common artl
are made from it, 1t is so dul
that sometimes ii is used in mai
books, and 10000 sheets may ocl
the space of single inch.
Tomorrow-ln Various Fields|