The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-08-20
TIN PLAYS A BIG PART.
Threatened Shortage Of the Metal
Emphasizes Its Present Value.

Threatened Shortage Of the Metal
Emphasizes Its Present Value.
Washington Star: The threatened
shortage Of tin is a reminder of the i'm
portance Of that metal and Of the part
il has played in the commerce and in
dustries Of the world from remote times.
In all the books Of history treating Of
the ancient world II is recorded that the
Phoenicians made voyages beyond the
pillars or the gates Of Hercules-the
straits Of Gibraltar and sailed as far
TO the north as that land now called
England, bringing back among many
other commodities tin from Cornwall
Tin was an export Of prime Importance
from the British islands centuries before
the invasion Of Britain by the legions
Of Caesar.
Tin is referred TO in the Bible. and
scholars have learned that copper was
| alloyed with tin by the Egyptians at
least 500 years before the coming Of
Christ Piny has something to say
about tin, and students Of his writings
believe that in his time the Romans
had no very clear understanding Of the
difference between tin and lead, but
| they knew there was a difference. be-
cause they called dead "plumbum nj
grum' and tin, "plumbum album"
The early Greeks called tin "kasss
teros' and the Hebrews called il bed
hn"
1t was about the fourth century that
the Romans, having come to very
fair understanding OF the properties Of
tin, called it "stannum," which re-
mains its technical or scientific name
today. Its symbol in chemistry is
"Sn,' an abbreviation OF stannum. At
a much earlier period the Greek al.
chemists, who long experimental with
tin. called II "hermes."
The tin deposits in the south Of Eng.
land are the oldest known workings
in the world and perhaps those that
were next discovered and opened were
In SaNony and Bohemia. II is believed
that the manufacture OF tin plate, or.
as it is sometimes called. "terne.
plate" was begun in Bohemia early in
the seventeenth century, that it spread
from there TO SaXony and il was In.
troduced into England in the latter
half OF the seventeenth century.
Il long remained one OF the great
English industries In the latter part
Of the nineteenth century the indus
try was given a good start in the Unit
ed States and has prospered immense
ly In the old tariff discussion in the
SOS and the '9O's the people Of IN,
United States heard and talked a great
deal about tin plate. and the argu
ments for and against the development
OF the industry by means Of a protect
i've tariff were hot and frequent in
congress and in the press
Tin plate consists OF iron or stee
rolled into very thin sheets which ar,
J then coated with a composition OF tir
) and lead, lead constituting from rs {,
20 per cent OF the composition. Their,
have been processes for coating the iror
sheets with the tinlead mixture ant
these processes OF timing" are yer,
, interesting. The use and production Of
tin plate have enormously extended
with recent years. not only becaus,
OF the remarkable growth OF the can
, ming business, but because OF the pop
ularity Of tin plate for making con
tainers Of many shapes and sizes for
. great variety OF articles.
Tin is found in ores with many 9th
Q er metals and minerals and in lump,
and grains in aluvial gravels. II Il
found in Siberia. Australia. Guian,
3 and, In fact, most parts OF the world
but the notable workings those whicl
furnish the great part Of the suppl,
3 which the world consumes, are in Bo
livia and the Straits Settlements.
O A large amount OF tin is consume,
In the manufacture OF tinfoll. tons o
which are used annually In the tohaC
3 co trade, and another extensive u.s.
for tin is in "silvering" the backs o