The Washington times., 1917-02-11
CHEMISTRY PLAYS BIG PART
IN PRESENT. DAY WARFARE
DR.. Charles E. Monroe Points to Handi-
caps in Making Munitions at Time
of Civil War.
BY J. c. HEMPHILL.

About three years ago DIR. Charles
E. Monroe, dean of the George Wash
ington University, one of the great
est chemists in the United states and
world authority on the subject OF
explosives, made an address on behalf
of the American Academy for the Ad-
vancement of Science TO the people Of
Atlanta, Ga, in which he said good
many things that are OF especial In
terest, now that the United States ap-
pears to be on the verge of war with
one of the most powerful nations OF
the world. DR.. Monroe is "by tem-
permanent a man of peace" but he is
not fool about it.
He told his audience in Atlanta that
"Beethoven's Ninth symphony, which
so serenely and sweetly proclaims the
brotherhood OF man, became the de-
light of his youth" but that he had
reached the conclusion that "a state
of war is an essential and necessary
condition to the existence and persist
ence of an individual, a race. or a
nation"
DIR. Monroe discussed at length The
Effect of Explosives on Civilization"
and told a brilliant story about the
part chemistry has played in the de-
velopment of modern warfare. A
large part of'his address was devoted
to the history OF chemical discoveries
that have been powerful agents in the
pursuits of peace rather more than in
their adaptation to the uses Of war;
but necessary to success in both.
Spoke Of Chemical Museum.
The larger part OF Dr.. Monroe's ad-
dress, however, was given to an &C
count of the extensive and comprehen-
sive museum OF chemical products
collected by DR.. John William Mallet,
for forty years professor of chemistry
in the University of Virginia The
record made by DR.. Monroe has espe-
cisl value just now in view Of the re-
cent destruction by hre Of the ex-
hibits and records in the university
collection at Charlottesville.
DR.. MalIet was a lieutenant colonel
of artillery in the Confederate serv-
Ice, and superintendent of the Confed-
crate States ordnance laboratories,
and had general supervision of the
manufacture OF ammunition for the
Confederacy.
Three of the establishments for this
purpose were situated in Georgia, and.
from these the major part of the
Confederate ordnance material came.
Agriculture Main Product.
I'm 1851" as DR.. Mallet said. "the
Southern States were almost wholly
occupied with agricultural pursuits,
and their resources Immediately avail
able in the way of manufacturing es-
tablishments were poor indeed"
Such establishments as there were,
were scattered over a wide area, pos
sessed poorly developed lines OF trans
portation to sources Of supply Of the
raw materials required in the manu-
facture OF munitions, and small ca
pacity. The $4,000 pounds of old
constituted almost the entire supply
of gunpowder for all calibers anj
pieces.
That was the condition of the South
when the Confederacy. was formed. II
was taking its life in its hands,
careless OF the Biblical injunction.
what king. going to make war
against another king, bitteth not
down first, and consulteth whether he
be able with ten thousand to meet
him that cometh against him with
twenty thousands" but so il was. and
DR.. MaIIet told the story Of how the
South tried to get ready after the
STORM burst.
Planned For Munitions.
Gen. Josiah Gorgas was made chief
Of the ordnance bureau and Immediately
planned permanent establishments for
The making Of munitions on q fnr-sight-
ed scale.
The first Of thNse works, first-class
powder mill, was built at Augusta II
was begun in September. 1861. and within
six months after construction began
was producing powder Of most excellent
quality.
The largest parts Of the machinery re
quired were made ut the Tredegar
Works in Richmond. To the end Of the
war this mill continued in successful
operation and supplied the southern
armies with all the powder needed.
DR.. Mallet said: THE statement
may seem startling in view OF the
difficulties under which this estab
iishment was built up, but 1t Is no
CHARACTERIZATION 10 say bndI II wac
among the finest and most efficient
powder mills OF the world at the
time. II not the very best in exist
ence"
Planned Central Laboratory.
In September, 1852, the Confederate
government determined to build a
central ordnance laboratory for the
manufacture OF artillery, small arms
ammunition, and the innumerable
minor articles OF ordnance equip
ment, and this undertaking was COM
mitted to DIR. Mallet.
The laboratory was placed on a
tract of 145 acres of land near Macon,
Ca. and was projected on a grand
scale. The plans were approved by
General Gorgas. The three main
buildings which were connected with
each other had a frontage OF about
200 feet, and there were to be IN
addition about forty detached build
ings.
The main buildings were practically
finished and some OF the smaller houses
were under construction when the
war ended Orders were placed In Eng
land for various machinery for max
ing percussion caps. friction primers,
pressed bullets, and other minor de-
vices and for heavy engines, but a
large part Of these orders could not
be filled in time because OF the Fed
eral blockade.