The Washington herald., 1918-05-02
SPUR OF WAR
/ AIDS SCIENCE
Holland Says Struggle with
Germany Stimulates
Chemical Invention.

OF II appear to have attracted nation
wide attention. partially for the rea-
bon no doubt that there begins to be
good understanding OF the vital rela-
ton OF science, invention and indus
try,. associated with chemistry and
Electricity. to preparations for main
taining the cause of the United States
in the struggle with Germany.
1t has recently been said that the
present-day creative geniuses are in
the world of chemistry. The era OF
hydro-electric power has begun, in
fact did begin some twenty years ago
At Niagara Falls. and it Is due to our
almost inconceivably great resources
In waterpower first demonstrated at
Niagara Falls and now about to be
demonstrated in the South. as 1t has
klso been demonstrated by the won
ferful application OF hydro-electric
Energy for the transportation OF trains
bver the mountains of the far west
Whereby the extension of the st. Paul
Railroad to the Pacific coast has been
% made that trafic can be operated
with the highest economy. g.
The public is always interested in
tine demonstration of the manner in
which men Cr research have cap
turcd what before were hidden re-
sources of nature and there never
have been in the United States
more popular lectures than those
which were delivered by one Of Eng
lands greatest men of science, Prof.
Tyndall. who was able to explain in
z manner that fascinated laymen
Some of the achievements and, dis
coVeTies which had been made by
men of science in his time and be-
fore.
So also now the people undoubt-
cdH. will be greatly interested
Gitcn explanation is made to them
Of the achievements OF the men of
rtseaTch and industry of the pres
ent day who are applying electro
chemical industry to various uses,
in some cases doing that upon the
basis OF many millions of capital.
SI5O.OO0yOCO Investment.
Since the excursion of the electro
cheRical society through the Ap-
pahthian South began announce
nient has been made that as speed
lily as possible as much as a hun
dTedi and fifty millions, most OF 1t
abprppriated by the government.
wj4 be utilized in the development
cf the hydro-electric power and in
the construction and operation OF
initiate plants on the south bank of
the Tennessee river near the foot
of Muscle Shoals That. however.
will be only one OF the investments
which will be made for the develop
ment OF this new industry. for IL
is TO serve wonderfully in the high
and economical development of the
resources of the United States after
tire. war is ended.
There is always great and entirely
proper interest in those who have
achieved greatly in chemical and cleo
trical development. The conspicuous
example Of that Is Edison, as before
his time the great example was Prof.
Morse. Since Niagara Falls energy
was in some measure utilized for the
development of hydro-electro power
followed Immediately by the estab-
Iishment Of industries there-some of
which fascinated EnGland's greatest
man Of science of his time. Lord
Kelvin-men who spent years in pa
tent research have achieved wonder
full successes. Take for instance the
aluminium industry. Always there
will be associated with the creation
of that industry Charles Hall. He
was a man of almost morbid modesty
seeking always retirement, stunning
publicity. But II wds Halls Concep-
ton and patient working out of his
ideas that have led at last to the es-
tablishment of the aluminium indus
try which has become largest Of the
electro-chemical industries with re-
spect to power consumption and value
Of the product. Without aluminium
it would be difficult IL not impossible
TO manufacture some of our important
motor. in the automobile and in an
aeoplane motor. aluminium in large
quantities Is employed. The United
states possesses vast fields of bauxite.
which is the raw material utilized by
MF. Hall in his experiments with the
electro furnace. whereby he was able
to produce aluminium at low cost and
in such great quantities that Its price
fell in the course Of a few years from
SIS and $50 a pound to about 20
cents.
So also Bradley. now living. and
his associate. LOyeiOy, who. passed
away too soon, demonstrated at
Niagara Falls the capacity of the
arcIiEht, which represented enoT-
nous heat that was made possible
by the utilization OF hydrO-electric
power there to capture nitrogen
from the atmosphere. From that
beginning. although by other proc
esses than those devised by Brad
ley and Lovejoy. has come the es-
tablishment of the stupendous
plants where nitrogen in unlim-
tied supplies is to be drawn mex
pensively from the atmosphere.
AeetyIene Development.
\
processes whereby acetylene gas
can now be used for a great num-
Der tof Industrial operations, hun
dreds, in fact, where it is saving
labor, and contributing greatly to
efficiency. In the steel foundry, 1t
is used in cutting sprues from cast
inss, one oxy-acetylene flame now
doing the work which formerly en-
tailed the employment OF twelve
men. Wilson, who was the inventor
Ct calcium m-carbide-which is the
source OF acetylene-operated his
first furnace in North Carolina
eafly in the SOS, but when the de-
ve1opment OF great hydro-electric
power was established at Niagara
the greater plants were established
on the banks of that river. Almost
every one still under middle age
can remember when the chief use
of acetylene at first was in the
lighting of buildings and the light
ing of towns and also in the miners
lamps.
One Of the greatest authorities
upon the electro-chemical industry
has recently referred to the won
defful development of the abrasive
industry of the United States. AL
ways with this will be associated