Evening star., 1915-03-21

which are heated 10 a temperature suf
iciently high to vaporize the oil as u
flows over them from the inlet tube.
The vapor thus formed is forced down
into the lower portion OF the still b.
the continual formation OF more va
por above.
"A series of wires conveying a pow
erful electric current wound about the
lower portion of the cylindrical still.
with resistance coils. furnishes the
can can be be- resulatsd d ia's to any p desired ID tenn.
perature. The fact that the expansion
OF vapor under heat is a definitel.
known equation. whereas nobody ever
knows what mixture CT vapor and
liquid is going to do. illustrates the
value of the safety factor of the new
process. The vaporized oil. distilled at
the proper temperature passes into the
condensing spparatus-and that IL all
there is to the process.
But when 1t comes to discussing the
possibilities of this new process. that
Is another thing. BY its use We car
utilize material that is absolutely
wasted under the old process OF dis
tfllatton. We can obtain a larger vol.
ume. therefore. OF gasoline from
given quantity OF oil. and we can do n
in a third OF the time required by tire
old process. and without any of III.
danger attending the operation OF old
fashioned stills
There remains the discovery that the
new process brings about certain chem
ica1 changes by which toluoi and ben
zol may be derived from the tar resi-
due OF OIL distillation. The importance
of this may be summed up brieh.
Heretofore the tar residue from the
distillation Of petroleum has been uti-
lized, practically. only as materials
entering into the composition of cer-
tain types of paving material The
United States has been dependent. alb
solutely. on foreign countries for the
toluol and benzoi necessary for the
manufacture of modern high explo-
sives used in warfare.
THE textile Industries OF the United
States have been just as absolutely de
pendent upon foreign chemical manu-
features for the dyes used In thei~
mills. Physicians and druggists have
been absolutely dependent upon the
same foreign chemists for many Of the
drugs used for the alienation of human
suffering.
Photographers Of this country hav.
been absolutely dependent upon foreign
chemical works for many OF the best
modern developers-developi agents
without which photography could neve'
have attained to Its present state OF
perfection.
The new process. by making avail
basic materials from which all OF these
things, explosives. dyes. medicines.
chemicals. etc, are made. strikes the
shackles from the United States and
places this country in position Of tn
dependence of any other nation SO far
as these things are concerned"
Patents covering every phase of the
new process have been applied for. and
these patents. which VIII absolutely
prevent monopolization of the process
or any part Of II by private interests.
are to be vested in the government.
for the benefit of the whole people Of
the United States.
Companies which desire to avail
30 only on license from the govern
ment, and under government supervi-
sion. Every safeguard Is to surround
the granting of such license. 80 that
the development of a monopoly VIII De
impossible.
Already, as has been stated. scores
of refining companies and individuals
have asked upon what terms the gov
ernment will permit them to build and
operate refining and manufacturing
plants under the patents covering the
new process. As yet no plan has been
perfected, but 1t Is expected that be-
fore the middle of the coming summer
not one but dozen or more big refn-
cries will be In process of construction.
1t may be that one or more such plants
will be in actual operation before half
Of the summer has passed.
There is no toluol or benzol in the
United States-at least. none worth
mentioning. Foreign buyers. before the
outbreak of the European war. bought
practically every available pound, and
shipped 1t back across the Atlantic.
Perhaps knowledge Of this fact.
coupled with the knowledge that the
government possessed no materials fo-
making the high explosives used in
modern warfare. has been responsible
in large measure for the forbsarance OF
the government in certain recent de-
velopments of an international charac-
ter.
Perhaps. too. certain problems loom.
ing grimly dark on the horizon of our
international relations will bring about
the speedy erection and equipment for
operation of refneries using the new
process
In no other way can the government
supply itself with the war materials
which. under modern conditions, are
absolutely necessary for success in an
appeal to arms.