Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-09-03
PEACEPRODUCT
TO SUPPLY THE
DEATHDEALER

Where is all the raw material com.
| ing from for the vast amount OF pow.
der that will be needed in the great
European war? That Is question
that South America can answer, ac-
cording to a news note in a recent
number of the Monthly Bulletin OF the
Pan American Union. Washington.
ID. C.
Strange to say, the one country in
the world which in times Of peace sup
plies the greatest agent to increase
the productiveness OF the earth. will
now be called upon for identically the
same agent to supply the means OF
destruction. That country Is the Re-
public of Chile, and the product which
has now assumed such tremendous i'm
portance Is the nitrate Of soda which
| II supplies to the world. The nitrate
fields of Chile form a wonderful asset
| in the national economy, and this news
note states that the government sold
at public auction, on August 10. In the
city of Santiago, certain nitrate lands
located In the Province Of Tarapaca,
thus opening mp for development adj
ditional areas containing this remark.
able product
The greatest use In recent years OF
Chilean nitrate has been ito make two
blades OF grass grow where but one
grew before" and In this capacity Il
has been a blessing to humanity. The
| use OF nitrate of soda as fertilizer,
though very general now. has been
known to our civilization less than
century. The story goes that an old
Scotchman who lived near the present
nitrate fields about 1916, spread some
soil containing white crystals over part
of his garden. Things planted In this
particular spot grew wonderfully Sam
pies Of the soil were sent to Scotland
for analysis, and the nature OF the sub
stance and its value as q fertilizer was
soon established. According TO tradi-
ton. however, centuries before the
Spanish conquest, the Incas OF Peru
and some or the natives or Bolivia
knew OF the fertilizing value Of the
white crystals, and are supposed TO
have known how to produce them rom
the crude material.
Today Chile enjoys practically 2
woridn1onopoly In the production o.
nitrate. and its use Is constantly grow.
ing. In 1919 the exports reached the
high.water mark. Nearly 100000
tons were shipped from the various
ports of the country and went 70 IN
crease the productiyeness OF the soils
of many different nations. incidentally,
Chile derives q golden harvest from
the product The revenue derived
from the export duty on nitrate, i
equally distributed among the inhaDi-
tants Of the country, would give every
man. woman, and child no less than
$40 annually. This great revenue -
being used to build railroads, improve
harbors. foster education. and to build
IN the nation generally: and. taking
into consideration the number OF us
Inhabitants, makes Chile one OF the
richest countries in the world.
The Chilean nitrate beds are found
In 4 strip OF country about 500 miles
long at a distance varying from ID 70
on miles from the Pacific coast. The
deposits lie in great beds. or stras1,
and the product Is easily mined. Inc
everything strata are penetrated Dt
small shafts or drills on through the
natural nitrate beds to the underlying
bedrock or substratum OF clay or grav.
Il At the bottom OF the shafts charges
Of powder or dynamite are placed.
which. when exploded break up ana
scatter the surface layers and the nj
trate. The fragments OF nitrate are
den gathered from the debris ana
carried in carts or small cars TO the
ofcinas, or factories. which convert
the natural product into the white crys.
tails Of nitrate Of soda, sack them, ana
then transport them to the nearest
port for shipment.
Just now, however, the greatest ae-
mand for nitrate will be to make pow.
der and other explosives. Nitric acid
Is needed to manufacture nitro-glyce.
rine. dynamite, smokeless powder ana
the various kinds Of high explosives
used 10 these modern times. Even IN
times of peace the United States uses
for manufacturing explosives three
times the amount Of nitrate used IN
the production of fertilizer. In times
81 war no estimate cen be made as 70
the amount the world viii demand. ana
doubtless the price Of Chilean nitrate
will soar