The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-30

army, but they could not supply It with
ammunition. Tive hundred thousand
shells a day has been the average pro.
ductlon Of late for each Of the hght-
ing armies. Fol- every enlisted soldier
there are three men or women working
day and night to supply him with am.
munition. food n clothing. and for
every man actually fighting at the front
there are about seven men and women
turning on: supplies.
All modern powder and modern ex-
plosives are made now from nitric acid.
Germany has been compelled to make
her own nitric acid synthetically from
the air. because her supplies OF Chile
saltpeter nitrate OF soda) have been
shut of. The Allies too are making part
OF their supply OF nitric acid from the
air. The remainder they obtain by i'm
rortation from Chile.
At the beginning OF the wal Germany
had on hand about 500. 00O tons Of nj
trate. besides explosives ready for use.
This was increased during the first
months Of the war to 500. 900 BY further
importation At the fall Of Antwerp they
seized about 200. 200 ton more. Blu O
this enormous supply was insufficient.
Germany probably did not expect this
war to last SO long nor to use such
tremendous oun Of explosives.
There 10 a plant In Norway for max
ing artificial nitric acid. but a. Il 10 u
der tho control Of French bankers they
took good care that mons should get into
the hands Of the Germans.
Germany 10 making most Of her nitric
acid by means OF the cyanamid process.
which consists in fixing the nitrogen OF
the air on calcium carbide. which gives
cyanamid. Then by submitting c!ana-
mid to the action OF steam. this gives
ammonia. and this ammonia. passed with
! air over hot porous substances. gives
nitric acid. Other nitric acid processes
are also used, but only 10 a relatively
small extent. The processes used In
Germany have been partially developed
there n partially in other countries.
The carbide process was invented and
developed In the mite States.
Germany is now producing nitric acid
for war purposes at the rate OF about
200. 900 10 900, 900 tons q year, and has
erected. within eighteen months time. a
number OF plants OF which the total cost
is about 800. 900. 00o.
The United States does not possess a
single plant for producing is own syn
thetic nitric acid. In case OF war We
would lave 10 rely entirely on our small
supply OF Chile saltpeter. which would
ne soon exhausted. II We bought enough
Chile saltpeter to last us for a one or
two years big war. the interest and loss
on investment would almost equal the
cost OF installing a permanent plant.
which IN time of peace could operate FOR
cheap fertilizer.
\ few years z a bill was passed
through Congress and the Senate allow
ing a private corporation to build and
operate an air nitric acid Plant In the
South. but the bill was vetoed by Mr..
Taft.
In our present condition We are en-.
.irely helpless and at the mercy OF any
enemy who nigh, seize the nitrate fields
IN Chile or stop importation.
Any bill for national defence which
does rot make US independent OF Inn
ported nitrates forGe,s an essential mat
ter. I; is Ike purchasing an automo-
bile without having n supply or gaso-
lens,
II war were declared tomorrow. We
might. however. have recourse TO tenn
porarv expedients. and I would recon-
mend the following action:
From the first days the war In de-
clared the Government should conIIEan-
deer all available supplies OF ammonia
and erect Immediately in great haste the
necessary equipment for Transforming
ammonia into nitric acid by the so-called
oxidation process. This requires n iela-
lively simple equipment. which can be
installed almost anywhere prorided'you
possess the necessary supply or am
monia.
Ammonia Is now obtained from by
product coke ovens. The amount Of am
, monia produced now in this countF!
might supply US with 10000 tons OF
nitric acid. This would only be about
half ~ what might he needed. and i
} would be out Of tile question TO CONVEX
all our ammonia into nitric acid. because
W" iced about 4 per cent. OF TINS for re
frigerating machines, which would b'
indispensable in time Of war. aside from
other important industrial uses wher'
. ammonia cannot be spared. This NoulC
help MS out during the frst period.
In the meantime we shout comman
dec some power plants where electric
current can he generated for manufac
turing c anan,id. This ~cyanamid woul'
then he able to furnish us with increased
supplies of ammonia. This would b.
making nitric acid regardless OF cost an
as a temporary makeshift.
II is much better 70 start IN advance
- and TO build one or several plants wher'
In time Of peace cheap nitrogen fert'
li1er can be manufactured. Such a plan
IL time OF war could he Immediately con
/, verified for supplying all the required
), nitric acid.
: Nitrogen fertilizer as sold 10 III
'. farmer in the United States Is abou
twice as expensive as II was sold j
Europe. and therefore our farmers can
h not use II as a~bundantiy az the farmer
in Germany and In Belgium. n on thi
account our Yields per acre are no mucl
!. less. This makes our food moro expen
siNe.
Cheap water power means cheap nitro
gen fertilizer. Niagara Falls charges Ia
water power from three TO Ave times III
price II is obtained for in Norway, an
even then the supply permitted BY law 1
already all taken UP by private industries
Cheap water powers could DO developed
in tho interior through Government in
%tervention IL wasteful financial method
: can be avoided.
i There IN no shortage OF chemists 1
o the United States. The American chen,
|. ical Society with its $500 member
q has about the same membership as IN
total membership Of the German Chem
ical Society. the English Chemical So
ciety and the Paris Chemical Societ
combined. But our chemists an
manufacturers have had better In
ducements to give their attention I
more raInunerative lines than coal ia
dye making. This country has preferre
to import its dyes. Before the war thi
importation was only $4,000. 900 pc
Q year, which Is g 1000. 900 less than tn
chewing gum manufactured In tn
United States. OF course. coal tar dye
. are more useful because they are needle
in many OF our other industries.
j. Furthermore. a coal tar dye industr
d gives us the equipment and operAtin