The Detroit times., 1910-11-23

OTe-ChrTylHS steamers, giant lOducI
and unloaders, and a thousand an
one other contrivances have SO chea|
ened the cost OF iron that II is mol
beyond the competition of any foreiG|
nation.
IL Is In the application OF metz
lurgical science that the American
ventor shines. When the alchemy
OF centuries ago sought to transmit
the baser metals into gold, he laid II
foundation OF modern chemistry. y
the aid OF chemistry the America
metallurgist is able to give to irC|
properties which do not actually ma
gold. but do make riches In q hui
dred forms. Many people belief
that Bessemer. Of England. first
vented the modern process for md
ing steel. but Andrew Carnegie, &
tainly an eminent authority, CIV
the credit to Pig Iron Kelly.
cess has revolutionized mining al
metallurgical science. Today steel
being produced by electric furns
methods, and il Is generally beltev|
by metallurgists that 1t marks as
portaut an era in the manufacture [
iron ore into steel as did the inv
tion OF the hearth processes.
BY the use of various rarer met
in combination with iron ore,
metallurgist is able to produce st
OF widely varying qualities. One
the most interesting OF these Is CO
bining vanavium with the ore In
furnace. A small percentage or van
ium added to the ore will make
steel much more elastic and OF mt
greater tensile strength than the pN
steel. An experiment as to the RI
tive strength OF vanavium and
bon steel showed that in vibrat1
testing machine the carbon steel stf
10000 vibrations rs compared VI
100 900 for the vanavium steel.
carbon steel withstood 5000 blows Il
light hammer. as compared with Ion
for nickel steel and $1,000 for vanav4
steel. Some steels need to suffer
loss OF temper under tremendous hi
The addition of a small percentage
tungsten gives TO steel this quail
and tungsten steel Is used in the MI
ufacture Of high-speed tools.
Many other of the rarer mel
have been made to serve the mel
OF the time. The metalurgist
found. for instance. that selensumI
better conductor Of electricity WI
exposed to light than under other h
ditions. This knowledge has enatN
him 10 perfect a light buoy for
navigator which is almost automf
| This light consists of an acetyN
gas tank and an electrical spaI
operated by selenium cells. As
as the sun ceases To shine on TIL
cells. the sparker is automatic1
operated. the supply valve autom9
| ally opened, ard the light turned
When the sun comes up next mn
ing and shines on the cells again.,
light is automatically turned OF.
| lenium also has been made to ope
the most complete burglar alarntI
existence A burglar with d
lantern is almost certain to din
the rays of his lantern upon theS|
lenium of the alarm system. The
ment he does it sets large al
ringing and automatically lights Ell
gas jet in the house.
Aluminium has been put to nj
fold uses through process OF
tracing it, discovered by Charles
Hall, of Oberlin. Ohio. Ii is true I
European metallurgists brought |
similar methods about the same u
but the American method Is the
widely used. Aluminium was at
time so scarce that 1t was wi
5000 a pound. Today 1t is so c1
that combs. cooking utensils,
hundreds Of other common art
are made from IT. 1t is so du|
that sometimes It is used in ma
books, and 10000 sheets may oc
the space OF a single inch.
Tomorrow-ln Various Fields