South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-09
Government Maintains Three
Plants for Manufacturing
of Substance.
BY III. X. REYNOLDS.
International News Service Staff
COrreSDOndPnt

OTTtSflohlci1t
WASHINGTON, Aug. S.-The
story OF the development Of helium
gas. which, because Of its non-in-
flammability, is eagerly sought for
the operation Of gigantic military
dirigibles, is one Of the romances
OF science. according TO officials or
the United States Bureau OF Mines
Helium. which exists Ia the air we
breathe in the proportion of one
part by volume 10 1856 20. is one
OF the best examples OF 4 discovery
in pure science that has wide COM
mercial application.
In 1858 an eclipse of the sun was
visible in India. Several scientific
men who were making ohserva7
items OF the eclipse turned a spec
troscOpe for the first time on the
solar chromosphere-that part Of
the atmosphere Of the sun which
merges into the coma. A bright
yellow line was observed and was
thought al first to be due TO sodium
Line Found to Vary
Jansen showed. however, that
this line was not just the same as
either the D1 or d. lire OF sodium,
although it was extremely close TO
these lines Hence he suggested
that the new line have the designa-
ton Dis FARMLAND and Lockyer
decided that D3 was due TO an ele-
ment in the sun not previously dis
covered on the earth and suggested
for 1t the name Of "Helium"-from
the Greek word helios. meaning the
sun.
For several years nothing more
was done In connection with this
element. IN 1894 Sir William Ram
say. in connection = with Lord
Ravleigh. made his memorable dis
cevery OF argon in the atmosphere
After this discovery Ramsay looked
for other sources Of the element
He learned that DR. W. F. lille
brand, Of the United States Geo.
logical Survey, had obtained an IN
ert gas from certain uranium min
erals, which gas he had decided
was nitrogen. Ramsay believe
part OF u might be argon He OBJ
tanned from Hillebrand for expe-
rimental purposes a sample of the
mineral-cleveite one OF the ura-
MUM Minerals. and. after extract
ing gas from the mineral and puri-
flying Il. he ran II into a spectrum
tube. The lines obtained however
we're different from those OF argon
Among them was the fright yellow
line noted by Jansen. Thus was
terrestrial hellum discovered.
Folium Taken from Air
DIR. Il. r. Moore. chief chemist Of
the Bureau OF Mines says that from
samples OF air taken at an attitude
OF several miles the proportion OF
heiium has proved 20 he about the
same as at lower ievels-one part
~ volume 10 $4,000. At extremely
high attitudes. such as 100 miles
or more the proportion may be
greatly increased Dr.. Moore SAYS
Before the World War the Ger
mans had developed a type OF diri-
gible called Zeppelin after Count
Zeppelin its inventor The French
and British had on diriglbles az the
beginning CT the war. but later
fastened TO repair their deficiency.
From experience gained in the de-
Tense OF London q was recognized
that the dirigible was vulnerable
against a weIl-orzanize attack. The
Germans. too. recognized this and
invariably made attacks in England
at night, operating from a high al
titude IN order 70 minimize attacks
by airplane, as a single incendiary
bullet fred into a dirigible wouiG
quickly bring the ship down. a mass
% flames.
The inhammability OF the hydro