Tlic qiicstion of' the raw-nintcrinl supply for :illy iiidustry is, pcrliiips, the first, conccrlt of all cngiigctl ill it, nnd inorc Iiiirticiiliirly of thosc rcsponsible for rcsctircli :iiid dcvelo~miciit. Fifty or oiic Iiiindrcd ycnrs ago thc raw material qiicstioii wris a siiiiplcr onc in inaiiy w y s ; ii factory \ ~n s h i l t , ns ncnr ns WIS conrciiicnt to tlte 1~\--1itnt~rj111 siipply. For this reason tltcrc tciidcd to bc ii scgregtitioii of industrics, csl)cciiilly in England, nround tlic cod iind iron fields. The improvcnicnt ill trniisport litis in niore recent titncs tcndcd to bring iihoiit. ii re-rirrn~tgc~iiicitt of industry, which is now much .iiiorc coiiccriicd about t,lic situatioii of its itiiirkets, lnbour siipplies, ctc. The mpid tlc\doliniciit~ of tlie pct,rolcuin iiidustry to its prcscnt prodigious dinicnsioiis Iiiis still furt,licr nccciituiitcd t.liis ~liiiiigc, for pctlroleuni is clteapcr to
hc rcmotcst piirts of thc e d i tit. ii cost, undrcnnit, of n gciieriitioti or t,wo iigo. If iiiodcrii triiiisport coiiditioiis Iirivc ciiitLlcd industry to expiiiid gcogriipliiciilly, no less 41 revolution Iiiis bccii bruiiglit iiboiit in iinotlicr field, iiiitl t.liis tinic hy modcrii cliciiiists iiiid tccliiticiiiits. 't'lic orginiic clieniiciil iiitlustry of one ltiiiidrcd yciirs rigo relied upoii t Iic diverse iind nbiinilnnt. rnw tiintcrinls il.iiilnblc in coii1 tar, from wliicli it, wns ril)lc to cxtriict cnsily iiiid it1 it iiiorc or less piirc stiibc tlic. coiiinioditirs it. rcqiiirctl. -4 \.as t.llC rcsult,. Tlic nppliciit,ion of resciircli to iiltlustry is tetitling to tilakc tlic iiiniiiifncturcr iiitlcpcndctit, of riiw innttriiil supplies. Iustciicl of iiskiiig Jtittisclf \vlierc Iic ctin obtnin 11 ccrtnin criitle raw niiitcrid from whicli Iic ciin ciisily ctxtmct tlic tlcsircd product, Ite is now much CHEhlISTltY ANI) I N DUSTItY