Evening star., 1916-05-28

explaining the means of obtaining the
necessary chemicals, said:
The bureau of mines has long been
interested in the development of by
product coke industry on account or
the tremendous amount of wastes OF
valuable material that has taken place
yearly. This waste of material, valua-
BILE to the farmers of the country Tor
agricultural purposes, to the manutac-
turers for power and to the whole ma
tion as source of products which
might be used in time of war for ex-
plosives, and in time of peace for
dyestuff industry. was pointed out by
the bureau in 1912
The figures given then for the year
1910 showed that 63.000.000 tons of
coal containing s22.000.000 worth of
recoverable nitrogen were converted
into coke, but only about one-sixth Of
this coal was treated in by-product
coke ovens or retorts which could
make the recovery Of the nitro
gen possible. Had this been coked in
by-product ovens the value of the re-
into coke in the beehive ovens would
have been between s35.00o,o00 and
100000. 900
1T is through the use of the by
product ovens that Germany has OBJ
tanned the basis of both a high explo-
sive industry and dyestuff industry
Through by-product ovens are recov-
cred large quantities of ammonium
peace for agricultural purposes and in
time of war may be oxidiZed into nitric
acid, the basic and absolutely essential
chemical for the production of all OF
the chief explosives used in warfare.
''It is chiefly from ammonia obtained
from by-product coke that Germany is
now procuring her nitrogen compounds
by the oxidation of ammonia. Further
more, the by-product coke industry
yields large quantities of coal. which
furnishes benzol and toluol used for
the basis of most dyestuffs and the
basis for the high explosives used in
shells, torpedoes, etc, as well as the
naphthalene, anthracene and most of the
other compounds going into the dye
stuff industry
The difference between the progress
made by Germany and the United
States in these two industries that are
SO closely allied is that Germany treats
about ive-sixths of her coke in by
product ovens. so as to obtain every
bit of chemical of value, while the
United States has treated only about
one-sixth of her coke in this manner.
and this is just about the degree of
difference which all the resources OF
the two countries have been developed
in these two lines. according to DR..
Parsons.
Since 1910" continued DR.. Parsons,
there has been a decided growth in
the by-product coke industry, and since
the war began great impetus has been
given to this industry. There are now
seventy-four by-product coke ovens in
operation and over one-third of the
coke produced in America is now pro-
duced in this manner. giving in five
years an increase of about 100 per cent.
Ammonium sulphate. benzol. toluol.
coke and gas from coal have been
turned out in increasing quantities Es-
sentially the same basis chemicals.
such as sulphuric acid. nitric acid.
chlorine, bromine. acetone and many
others. are required in both industries.
The great difficulty which the am
monium plants of the country have had
to meet during the past year in order
to supply the demands made upon them
has been the procuring of sufiicient sui
phuric and nitric acid to carry on their
work. 1t IL at present more difficult to
obtain these two acids than to get
bsnSol and toluol. But the heavy chemi-
cal industry of the country has re-
sponded by greatly expanding it's work.
and at least one million tons moro Of
sulphuric acid was made in this coun-
try in 1915 than in the previous year.