Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-28
.BATTELLE
PROCESS
ACCEPTED
invention of Local Chemist
May Make Industry lnde-
pendent of Mainland
RefinerieS
INVENTOR MAY SELL HIS
IDEAS IN OPEN MARKET
Report Being Published and
viii Be Circulated in a
Short Time

After many months of experimental.
tion in a special plant built for the
purpose on Eva plantation, the exper-
iment station committee of the Ha,
waiian Sugar Planters Association
has completed its report on the Bat
telle process. 1t is now being printed
for circulation among the members OF
the association. The report is both
voluminous and highly technical, and,
while il is not unfavorable to the in
Sention, the question is left open to
individual plantations whether they
should adopt the process.
AS has previously been published.
the process is claimed to increase the
extraction of sucrose while also pro
ducing a white sugar of quality that
will compete with the product of the
refinerieS. Like the white sugar pro-
duced by process for some time
used in Java. the Battelle process dis
pences with boneblack filters. Java,
In consequence of this elimination Of
animal matter, has been enabled to
capture the bulk of the East Indies
trade, as the Hindus will not take
sugar contaminated by contact with
animal product Nevertheless, the
Java white sugar could never compete
with the refined sugar of commerce.
Some of the sugar men here are ex-
ceedingly doubtful that sugar can be
made without boneblack filtration
which will be accepted ON a part with
the output of the refineries in the
American market
1t has been rumored that Mr. Bat
telle, If the Hawaiian planters did not
take over his invention, would accept
an offer for it from Cuba. AS mat
ter Of fact, it Is learned, he is at
liberty to sell his invention in Cuba
or any other country than Hawaii
without prejudicing any of his inter
ests here. The local association has
closed an option with the inventor
for the Hawaiian rights to the pro-
cess and no other. Outside of that
option, Mr.. Battelle's future profits
in these islands will depend upon how
many plantations may adopt his In
yention. Only those that do so will
have to pay the price.
4 With the prospect of free sugar,
the planters of Hawaii as we'll as of
Louisiana are keenly interested in the
question of whether a marketable SUI
gar can be produced in the plantation
factories, An account of process
to that end being exploited in Louisi-
ana was given in this paper a few
months ago, and the latest issue of
the Louisiana Planter, the journal
from which, that article was derived,
contains another treatise on the sub
ject. However, as already stated,
some of the Hawaiian sugar men are
sceptical Of the success of any such
process.
Erie E. Battelle worked out the the
ory of his invention while chemist of
the Wailuku Sugar Company. When
first announced, the news made a.
great sensation. If the process would
do all that it was designed to do, there
were millions in it. The Planters AS
sociation took it up for experiment,
about two years ago, erecting a sub
station completely equipped at Eva to
try it out After exhaustive expert
mentation, in which the inventor as
sisted, the results are now about to
be set forth in printed form for the
information of the planters. According
to what this paper was enabled to pub
lish some time ago, the invention in
some OF its phases was early accepted
as of much value What seems re-
naming to be proved is whether it
will enable the plantation mills to
turn out white sugar that will make
the local industry independent of the
mainland refineries.