El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-03

WASHINGTON, D. C., June g.
M The idea that Uncle Sam
shall take up the business Of
manufacturing nitric acid from atmo-
spberic air, as a measure OF prepared
ness against possible war. has met
with much opposition in congress
largely because Of its total novelty.
Then, too. # IS an expensive project,
costing $4,000 as finally agreed upon
But neither gunpowder nor high eX-
Dlosivcs can be made without nitric
acid, which IS obtainable from only
two sources-the saltpeter deposits
OF Chile and the air that encomI
the earth. As for the former, il is
believed that. in the event OF war, an
enemys navy, even -though much IN
ferior TO that Of the United states
could make impracticable the trans
port Of saltpeter over the long ocean
route from Chile to this country
Air supply Unlimited
On the other hand, the supply OF
nitric acid obtainable from the air is
unlimited and inexhausuble- But 10
build and put in operation the re
ouisite plants would require at least
a year. and meanwhile We should be
without adequate supplies OF the chief
essential for fighting purposes
Discussion Of the matter by our
military authorities has brought out
some remarkable and very lnteresting
facts II appears that, when the
present conflict broke out Germany
had on hand about 6bU,voV tons OF
Chile saltpeter, representing a value
Of $4,000, 600. This stock was ex-
hausted during the early months Of
the war, and the kaiser's government.
being cut off from further supplies,
would long ago have been driven 10
ACCEPT defeat, but for the circum-
stance that it was able TO get nitric
There were already q number OF
plants in operation for the purpose In
Germany, deriving their power from
falling water. But additional plants
were built with utmost possible ex-
petition, and steam power Though
not economical under ordinary clrcun-
stances was largely utilized, augu-
menting the total energy previously
employed by an equivalent of 100000
continuous .24-hour horsepower.
Germany Wei Supplied Now.
Thus It viii De understood how u Is Is
that Germany today, though unable
TO obtain any saltpeter from Chile
maintains without difficulty the huge
supply of explosives which have been
her main reliance for the winning OF
the war. That countrye most impor-
Iant Water-poWer plants tor the pro-
duction Of nitric acid are In The
Bavarian Alps These have been
taken over BY the German government
What, il may be asi-ed. are the
Allies doing for nitric acld2 OF course,
The Chilean saltpeter beds are readily
accessible to them; but so g1ganuc
is their requirement for the chief es-
sentisl Of sives-manufacture that
they are depending for supplies mainly
upon factories in Norway, which are
owned and controlled by British and
French capital These plants are now
being run night and day. a single
group Of them employing $4,000 con-
tinuous horsepower.
Artificial Is Cheapest.
In other words. Notwithstanding that
the Chile deposits are open 10 England
and France, and readily accessible,
those countries prefer 10 rely upon
sources Of supply nearer at hand
There is the additional advantage that
nitric acid, derived from atmospheric
air. and imported from Norway, IS
decidedly cheaper than that obtainahie
from Chile saltpeter-
In Norway region of steep water
falls and fairly uniform rainfall
throughout the year-water power IS
rema-kably cheap Nowhere else in
the world, unless in China. are there
such opportunities for developing
cheap water-power For example, at
Theiemeken. one can stand at the edge
Of a fall 800 feet above the sea, and
look down the hatch of ship float
ing in so feet of salt water a hig
river comes 10 the edge and drops