Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-21
FLOATING PLANT"
AFTER CHEMICALS
Du Points Buy Shipping
Board Vessel for Far-Reach-
ing Tests on Ocean.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
WILMINGTON, Del, February 81.
An entirely new development in
the industrial world has been
brought about by the E. 1. du Pont
dR Nemours Co. The executives Of
nothing new under the sun but they
have discovered something new un-
der the water. They have just pur-
chased a new factory and instead
of bringing the raw materials to the
plant they have taken the plant to
the raw materials.
The du Pont Co. has just acquired
from the United States Shipping
Board the steamer Lake Harminia.
and, 1t became known today, will use
the vessel as a floating manufactur-
ing plant for the extraction of
chemicals from the sea water. The
use of a vessel for such manufacture
ing purposes has no precedent in
business and industrial history, if
exception be made to the trying out
of blubber on board a whaler.
Great Commercial Test.
Every schoolboy knows that many
chemicals are present in sea water,
carried by fresh water streams that
have absorbed them from the earth
and rocks over which they flow.
They may be recovered in any
laboratory but the du Pont interests
have been attempting to discover
whether they may be recovered in
sufficient quantities and cheaply
enough to be commercially profitable.
The company has already performed
many such experiments at a plant
located on the New Jersey coast, but
1t determined instead OF piping the
water to land laboratories, which was
sure to be expensive, 1t would take
the laboratories and factory to the
deep sea. The equipment to be in
stalled in the Lake Harminia will be
virtually the same as IL the plant
were located on land. The power for
both manufacturing and delivering
the products evolved will be provided
in the ships engine room. The under
taking is a comm ercial one pure and
simple. 1t is not being conducted to
add to scientific knowledge, although
it will surely do so, but to produce
chemicals cheaply. Since that is the
case, the details of the products to be
made and the methods employed are
being kept a close secret by the Du-
pont interests.
Hope for Big Results.
Since 1918 special attention has
been paid to the production of chem
made in the manufacture of coal tar
products, dyes and artificial silk. 1t is
hoped this new venture will yield
equally valuable results.
It is understood that the Lake
Harminia was purchased for about
$33, 900, and it is not likely that site
and factory could have been secured
In an advantageous spot for any
thing like that sum. The vessel is
now locked at the Harlan shipyards
at Wilmington 20 be reconditioned
and put into first class shape to stay
at sea for long periods.
Vessel Built During War.
The vessel was built as one of
fleet turned out on the Great Lakes
during the war, but was never put
into the Government service. She
is an oil burner of 1000 tons burden
and 290 feet long. For many months
she has been laid up with scores of
other Government vessels at Hog
Island. Philadelphia
Industrial chemicals are moving
into consumers hands in great guam
titles, and manufacturers order books
are filled to capacity for the next
three months. Factories are being
speeded up, and the price trend is
upward. In some important depart
ments manufacturers are sold up to
capacity for a year in advance. In
addition there is every indication
that the heavy consuming interests,
such as leather, fertilizer and textile
trades. will have big year. These
conditions undoubtedly have had
their influence in determining the Du-
pont Co. to undertake it's new venture.
Copyright 1929