774
T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L ,4ND E X G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y .
sists of six cables twelve millimeters in diameter. The three-phase alternating current of fifty periods is transmitted with a voltage of 10,000. A second power station a t Svaelgfos is now under construction. As the normal volume of Mater by a n additional regulation of distant lakes in the same watershed soon will increase to ninety cubic meters, in the new power station likewise two additional units of 10,000H. P. each are built. About sixteen miles farther up the river the first regulating dam a t the Lake of Tinn was constructed a t the same time as the water station of Svaelgfos and the factories a t Notodden. The immense basin regulated by this dam makes it possible to store up fully 300,000,000 cubic meters of water. For the regulation of the water supply a dam was built a t the Lake Mosvand by means of which the level of the lake is raised over 46 feet. As the surface of the lake is not less than 23 square miles, nearly goo,ooo,ooo cubic meters can be retained. The minimum flow in the river is in this way increased from 5-47 cubic meters per second, or the water power a t Rjukan only from 30,000 to 250,000 H. P. To give you some idea of the development of our industry I let pass in review the factories we have had a t the different times: H. P.
Dates. July 1903 Oct. 1903 Sept. 1904 May 1905 May 1907 Nov. 1911
utilized. Factories. 25 Frognerkilens Fabrik.. Anterlokken.. 150 1,000 Vasmoen and Arendal., 2,500 Notodden.................... Notodden and Svaelgfos.. . . . . . 42,500 Notodden. Svaelgfos, Lienfos and Rjukan I . . 200,000
......... .......
................
...........
Employees. 2 4 6
Workmen. 2 10
4 12
20 35 103
143
1 ,340
According to the results of the use of our nitrate of lime, it is stated that it is the same as the Chile saltpeter and for certain soils it is even better. I have the pleasure of telling you that we to-day are sending many thousands of tons of the Norgersalpeter t o California and Hawaii to be applied to the fruit orchards and sugar plantations; and the demand is twice as large as last year. That our nitric acid and nitrate of ammonia are enjoying a good reputation is shown by the following extract from an English periodical, “The Sphere.” It was a peculiar coincidence that just on my trip over here I happened t o see this paper and the article in question. There i t reads--“Nitric acid is the main
Oct.,
1912
constituent of guncotton, dynamite and smokeless powders. One of the chemicals made a t Notodden greatly reduces the heat of discharge, thereby prolonging the life of a big gun,” and further:-(‘Nitrate of ammonia obtained a t Notodden by the marvelous electric process described here, is the principal constituent of many of the explosives for mines and is, therefore, of high importance to the navy.” I could not wish anything better t o be said in favor of our products; you would believe I had put it into the newspaper myself. If you ask me what above all has contributed to such a rapid development of our industry, then I wish to mention the confidence the financial people gave and the good collaboration between engineers and myself. We all were filled with the same thought, to create something great and useful for our country, and we all had in view the great importance this new industry would have from a n international point of view. There is, however, one thing which I wish to tell you and which more than anything else has contributed t o the great success attained in the development of this industry, and that is that I mainly have employed young men for this work. This assertion may appear strange but, I assure you that it is the “lack” of experience which has created this industry. If I had paid attention to all the doubt and hesitation brought forward by the so-called authorities during the development of our enterprise, the Norwegian people to-day would never have their nitrate industry. Thanks t o the young people, to their undaunted courage, energy and love of action the work has been done, and it is in grateful remembrance of all o u r struggles in joy and sorrow, that I look backward t o the work that has been done and the good results we have obtained to-day. The Norwegian nitrate industry is not alone a technical but also a financial success, and I have been able to keep my promise t o the big financial institutions, the Banque de Paris and the Societe Generale, and also to our German associaates, who to-day all are proud of the assistance and confidence they gave t o the industry. My own country, the small Norway, who is the youngest daughter of the family of the electrical industries, does no more need to be proud alone of the discovery of the South Pole, but is glad t o be able to contribute her share in the solution of the most important questions relating to the world’s household.
CURRENT INDUSTRIAL NEWS
1
ny w. A. HAMOR. A NEW WOOD PRESERVATIVE. “Aczol” is a new wood-preserving material, consisting of metallic ammoniates and an antiseptic acid. I t is said to exert no harmful action on either wood or metal. Evidently the use of “Aczol” is based upon the process of permanently fixing large quantities of metallic salts in the wood, as in the patented process of Gerlache, wherein wood is impregnated with an aqueous solution containing free ammonia and amxonia compounds of
copper and zinc ( e . g., ammoniacal solutions of copper sulphate and zinc
AIR COMPRESSOR LUBRICATION.
It is noted in The Engineering and Mining Journal (93, NO. 2 3 , I 125) that explosions within the cylinders of an air compressor are usually caused by the ignition of inflammable gas arising from the use of too much lubricating oil of low flash-point; ,
