Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-03
TIN A VALUABLE METAL.

6NHE threatened shortage of tin is a
reminder of the importance of that
metal and of the part it has played
in the commerce and industries of the
world from remote times. In all the
books of history treating of the ancient
world it 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 CEN
turtles before the invasion of Britain by
Tin Is referred to in the Bible. and
scholars have learned that copper was
alloyed with tin by the Egyptians at least
1000 years before the coming Of Christ:
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
plumbum nis sranfs and ndey tin. eA piumbnm
album The early Greeks called tin
.'kassisteros." and the Hebrews called
1t "bedhil.'
It was about the fourth century that
the Romans. having come to a very fair
understanding of the properties Of tin.
called 1t "stannum." which remains its
technical or scientific name today. It's
symbol in chemistry Is "Sn." an abbre-
Walton Of stannum. At a much earlier
period the Greek alchemists. who long
experimental with tin, called it "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 We're in
Saxony and Bohemia. 1t is believed
that the manufacture of tinplate. or, as
it is sometimes called. "terne- plate" was
begun in Bohemia early in the seven
bat
there to Saxony, and it was introduced
into England in the latter half Of the
seventeenth century.
1t long remained one of the great
English industries In the latter part
of the nineteenth century the industry
was given good start in the United
States and has prosDered immensely. In
the old tariff discussions in the sos and
the 90s the people of the United States
heard and talked a great deal about
tinplate. and the arguments for and
against the development OF the indus
try by means of protective tariff
were hot and frequent in Congress and
in the press.
Tinplate consists of iron or steel
rolled into very thin sheets which are
then coated with composition of tin
and lead. lead constituting from rs to
80 per cent of the composition. There
in those processes for coating the iron
sheets with the tin-lead mixture and
these processes of timing" are very
interesting. The use and production of
tinplate have enormously extended
within recent years. not only because
Of the remarkable growth of the can
ming business, but because of the popu-
larity of tinplate for making contain
ers of many shapes and sizes for
great variety of articles
Tin Is found In ores with many other
metals and minerals and in Jumps and
grains in a1luvial gravels. 1t is found
In Siberia. Australia. Guiana and, in
fact. most parts Of the world, but the
notable workings, those which furnish
the great part of the supply which the
world consumes, are in Bolivia and the
Straits Settlements
A large amount of tin Is consumed in
the manufacture of tinfoil. tons Of
which are used annually in the tobacco
trade. and another extensive use for tin
10 IN silvering" the backs Of mirrors:
In being used in this way It IL mixed
with copper. Tin Is also used In the
making OF bronze, brass and pewter.