The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-07-19

tive pole Of q dynamo generating d.
rect current of about 5000 volts In
side the chamber is q central shaft
provided with a similar set of negative
contacts in the form of long rods, all
connected with the negative pole of
the dynamo This cylinder TOtates at
the rate of 800 revolutions per minute,
and as each negative contact comes
up to . positive one, an arg is produced,
and, in the course of minute, 400 900
such arcs occur. In this apparatus
about two. percent of the outgoing air
is converted into oxides.
Compounds Destructive
As previously stated, nitrogen is
lazy and stubborn gas. 1t is at the
same time the most restless and the
most powerful Of all the. elements I'M
der certain conditions. II forms but
few compounds, and these are remark
able Cor, rather, notorious) as rule,
for their instability, as witness: nitro
Rlycerin, nitro-cellulose,. tri.nitrO- toluol,
iodide Of nitrogen, cordite, dynamite,
etc, most of which compounds are at
this very moment giving vent to their
dcstructiveness in the battlefields of
Europe. NitrelglycPrin is so unstable
q compound, Of nitrogen that it has been
known to explode from a sneeZe.
Highly Explosive
To illustrate the sensibility of iodidc
Of nitrogen. m experiment was con
dncted in a large empty hall. Two base
yi0las were selected for the experiment
One was placed at each end of the hall,
and both We're tuned in unison. The
n,
strings of one instrument with wet
iodide of nitrogen (it is too sensitive
to handle ~ this manner when dry
ana when it, had dried he went to, the
opposite end Of the hall and plucked
the corresponding string Of the instru-
ment there. The viola at the other
end of the hall was shattered into
match sticks by the explosion which
followed. As another. example of the
explOsivGness of nitrogen compounds,
the writer hast O. friend who is manned
for life as the, result of shaking in the
suRlight q bottle of specially Prescrib-
ed eye -mediripe, containing a chemical.
" ineompatihIe mixture.
Supplies At Hand Dr..
But in this TecouDt we arc concerned
ORly with tue fertilizer compounds Of
nitrogen. II has been discovered that
calcium is zone Of the few. elements
which. will mite directly with nitrogen
under certain GonditiO amt If cal;
rinm .rould belproclrcd at a sufficiently
low price the problem of a nittogenoQs
manure would be solved, and as an
'taside" the writer would say, that if
there lis any country in. the world
where high grade calcium ore" j.
more plentiful than in the Hawaiian
Islands he knows. it not, Common
limestone is said to contain nearly foJ-
ty parent Of calcium. This metal is
manufactured c6mmercialiy by tie
electrolytic decomposition of the melt,
ed chloride. SO, tn produce il, 0 high.
power eiee trio current is required. And
to produce Il ,cheaply the power Of
waterfalls must be utilized in general
ing the necessary current. If We have
the last named requisite, the agricul-
tural Industry Of these islands. need
have no alarm over, the nitrate situa
tiOn ,except as 10 obtaining supplies
for, immediate requirements. as the
problem is, CAPABLE of being solved
rioht in Hawaii mel.
Calcium Cyanamide
And il we had the necessary carbon,
there is a compound of calcium whirh
Il cheaper to manufacture than pure
calcium. This Is calcium carbide. with
which all are familiar and from which
acrtvlene gas Is produced. Calcium
carbide. t)has been fonnd. will Tchrt
with atmospheric nitrogen to form the
new substance known as calcium cyana
mide or lime nitrogen.