โ Scribed by Henry Leffmann
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
acknowledged that the experts of their own and other nations have not succeeded in getting a practical method of operating the synthesis of nitrogen and hydrogen, which constitutes a key industry in the production of explosives and fertilizers. Independence of the Chile nitrates is now a necessity to all countries, not only because these may fail, but because of the long sea haul, which may be easily obstructed by a hostile fleet. Meanwhile the United States shiIlishallies with the Muscle Shoals plant, the full operation of which would place us out of the danger of any blockade, for we have within our borders almost everything else m abundance for maintaining a comfortable existence and, if necessary, prosecuting an effective war of defence.
In the matter of producing ammonia by the direct union of nitrogen and hydrogen, preliminary investigations are due to Cavendish. The remark suggests that a kindred key process, the direct union of sulphur dioxide and oxygen under the catalytic action of platinum was first pointed out by Davy. In these cases we have two important data in direct synthesis initiated by British workers and made vital industries by German methods. The basis of these successes of the German chemists and chemical engineers is the equal cultivation of theory and practice and the patient pursuit of the investigations. Other nations have been much too influenced by the spell of immediate practical results. Considerable information is given as to the operation of the Haber process which seems to be one that is to dominate the nitrogen-fixation industry. This was operated extensively during the late war and was, indeed, one of Germany's most important assets, for without a supply of nitrates the manufacture of the high explosives would have been impossible. It has been authoritatively stated in a German work recently published that from the time the British blockade was proclaimed, shortly after the declaration of war, until January of the following year, only a few thousand tons of Chile nitrates reached Germany. This shows well the value of sea-power and the foresight of Great Britain in creating a powerful navy, by which the seven seas were locked up within twenty-four hours after the war had really begun and were kept locked until the armistice.
The immense mass of data in the volume in hand defies even enumeration let alone careful valuation. The methods and merits of the volume in hand are the same as those of the preceding volume and the work now finished has no superior as a work of reference for the works chemists and chemical engineer.
HENRY LEFF~tANN.
๐ SIMILAR VOLUMES
of the former and has been completely rewritten. The character of the work is already known to many, but it may be mentioned for the benefit of readers who may be seeking only a general descriptive text, that the work is an analytical and critical account of some of the most erudite contributions to