The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-05-10
Nitrate Preparedness.

Nitrate Preparedness.
Southern sections with available n.y.
dro-electric power are already bidding
strongly for the government nitrate
plant which it is said is the intention
OF congress to establish for the pur-
pose OF securing the nitrogen constitu-
ent from the air. Even in New York
the Journal Of Commerce says, the NJ
trate firms look upon it as commen-
dable step towards national prepared.
ness. However, they do not believe
that the proposed appropriation OF
ISl5.0OO.o00 for such plant or
plants would make the United States
independent of outside supplies in the
event of war.
According to the Journal of Com
merce. estimates made on Saturday by
New York men familiar with the nj
trogen plants of Europe were that the
establishment contemplated by con-
8reHs could turn out bout 10000 or
7o.Oea' tons OF nitric acid q year. Dur
Ing la15 the United States imported
from, Chilli. the only supply of free
nitrate Of soda in the world, 772.OOO
tons1 which yields about 20 per cent.
|nhrtc acid. or around $4,000 tons o.,
acin essential ito the manufacture of
explosives. According to these esti-
mates the production Of the govern
mont plant would be less than one
eighth Of the amount used in normal
Atnea and would be even less a pro-
portion of the acid needed in case of
wae:with q first class power.
mt is said that in spite OF rumors
that the United States has great guam
tittes' Of nitrate Of soda in the West,
no beds that are. commercially work
ablssAave been found. If the country
were apt off from Chill by a more pow
|erfnls in the event Of war, the
manufacture Of munitions would be
seriously Handicapped. even with the
fun output available from a govern
ment plant.
In Europe. II vas pointed out nlto-
gen is being extracted from the air
more cheaply than it can be imported
from Chill. Germany is making It's
own nitric acid. Norway is not only
making enough for the use of its own
people but Is exporting tc adjoining
nations.
Henry Bradley Of 7S Wall street
states that he has made trips through
out the West to investigate the re-
ports that nitrate of soda could be
obtained in commercial quantities. In
every case, he said, the rumors had
proved misleading or untrue. While
the presence Of nitrate of soda has
been found in many beds of soft dirt,
it's solubility has been discovered to
be about equal to that of a number of
other chemicals. This has made it
practically impossible to obtain. I'm
less some new process or some new
chemical is discovered, said Mr.. Brad
ley the nitrate of soda in this country
cannot be utilized.
In many Of the beds which have
been reported he found nitrate of pot
ash present to the extent of about
three per cent. and nitrate of soda
about per cent. around 500 proper
ties, and did not find one that would
allow successful extraction of nitrate
of soda. In case of war he doubts If
we could produce one-tenth Of one
per cent. of the nitric acid which we
would need in the manufacture of mu-
nitions.
Hydroelectric power localities in
North Carolina and South Carolina
ought to be available for nitrogen
plants, Of which there are said to be
only two in the United States. One is
in Tennessee and the other is at Ca
tawba Falls. s. c., where Mr.. j. B.
Duke and associates of the Southern
Power Company have the most power
ful hydro-electric power plant in the
South.
| 1t Is doubtful whether nitrate can
be manufactured to compete with the
mined product which comes to Will
mington by the ship load from the
natural beds Of Chilli, but the main
argument for such government
owned plant is that it is absolutely
necessary as a precaution against the
possibility Of being cut off from the
Chilean supply.-Wilmingto Star.
NJ ~ VII,