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T H E J O U R N A L OF 1 - V D U S T R I A L A S D E S G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y .
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April, 1 9 1 2
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CONSULAR AND TRADE NOTES
ENGLISH MUNICIPAL GAS WORKS. Consul Edward B. Walker, Burslem, advises t h a t the report for the year ended March 31, 1911, of the gas department of Stafford, population 25,000, contains some interesting information and figures. The gas works have been in the possession of the municipal corporation for 33 years, during which time the bonded indebtedness has been reduced from $550,673 to $182,189, a reserve fund has been provided, and municipal taxes have been reduced $286,019. The price of lighting gas is $0.65 per 1,000feet, with discounts up to I O per cent. according to consumption, and $0.48 per 1,000 feet for power, with discounts up to 25 per cent., reducing the price all around to about $0.37. The gross receipts during the year in question were $162,899 and the expenditures $93,930, leaving a gross profit of $68,969. Loans repaid, interest, etc., amounted t o $31,447, and the net balance was distributed as follows: District fund in reduction of taxes, $17,033; free library, $243; suspense account, $6,083; ’ reserve fund, $9,755; carried forward, $4,408. The town had a profit-sharing scheme under which the workmen received a bonus of over IO per cent. of their wages. The amount of gas sent out was 211,852,000 feet, of which 4,358,630 feet was unaccounted for, or leakage. The coal used was Staffordshire “washed beans,” costing about $2.68 per ton. The gas business is managed and treated as a separate undertaking. All salaries of officials and expenses of management and operation are included in the balance sheet, and the corporation pays taxes as would a n ordinary company.
UTILIZATION OF NATURAL GAS I N HUNGARY. Consul-General Paul Nash, Budapest, advises t h a t i t is not known exactly what are the intentions of the Hungarian Minister of Finance as‘to the utilization of the natural gas in Transylvania, several million cubic yards of which have already escaped, b u t i t is likely that before the end of the year the gas will be in use in one or more of the towns and industrial plants in the immediate vicinity of the wells. The gas-producing region comprises some 5,800 square miles, and the Government has so far p u t in over 20 wells, varying in depth from 1,000to 3,300 feet. It is thought t h a t the supply of gas \Till last for a t least 50 years. Eventually the gas will be brought t o Budapest, although probably not for a few years. I n any case, as soon as it appears t h a t the public is‘to have natural gas placed at its disposal, there will be a n immediate demand for meters, purifiers, pipes, valves, stoves, burners-in short, everything used in the exploitation of natural gas. There is no reason why American manufacturers, if they employ the proper methods, should not have the bulk of this business, as the American p r e a i n e n c e in this line of manufacture is generally recognized in this country. Everything points t o the development of a large business. Manufacturers should send representatives to study the field and personally choose agents. SWEDISH COAL SITUATION. Consul Stuart J. Fuller, Gothenburg, reports that the threatened scarcity of imported coal, due to the labor troubles in England and the augmented demand owing to the lack of water for power, is bringing about increased activity in the Swedish mines in Skane, in the south of the Kingdom. The Skane coal is not suited for coke and is of inferior quality. It is conceivable t h a t the labor troubles in England might affect the situation t o an extent such t h a t Sweden would have to look
elsewhere for its supply, thus giving a possible opportunity for the introduction of American coal. Coal constitutes nearly I O per cent. of the total imports into Sweden. About one-fifth of this fuel is entered at Gothenburg, which port and Stockholm are the principal import places, Malmo and Gefle coming next. The total import for the last three years for which figures are available has been, in tons: In 1907, 4,146,785; in 1908, 1,427,507; in 1909, 4,084,055. It was practically all from Great Britain. The kinds in 1909 were, in tons: Anthracite, 146,162; gas and coking, 263,749; smithy and nut, 300,258; steam coal, 3,352,943; miscellaneous, 20,943. The production of coal in Sweden is less than 7 per cent. of the consumption of the country, the output in 1910 being 302,800 tons. CORK TRADE O F THE UNITED STATES. The cork-growing industry is being introduced experimentally into the United States by the Department of Agriculture. A t Chico, Cal., the Bureau of Plant Industry has growing quite a number of cork-oak trees of various species t h a t were secured by David Fairchild, the Department’s agricultural explorer. The Bureau of Forestry is also conducting experiments near Pensacola, Fla., where the Cork-oak acorns have been planted, some of which are growing in the second year successfully. Lacking a native supply, the United States purchases abroad nearly $6,000,000 worth of raw and manufactured cork, official statistics for the calendar year 1911 showing imports of unmanufactured cork wood or bark, valued at $3,819,651, and of cork manufactures worth $2,070,672, a slight decrease from the respective totals of $3,908,533 and $2,191,563 in 1910. MALAYSIAN TIN EXPORTS. The Federated Malay States Government Gazette gives the following table to show the weight of tin (tin exported in the form of ore having been taken a t 70 per cent. of the gross weight of the ore). exported from the Federated Malay States during 1910 and 1911 (picul = 1 3 3 ~ pounds): /~
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191 1.
1910.
Tin contained
Tin. in tin ore. Total. States. Perak.. ... Selangor.. , N e g r i Sembilan Pahang . . .
Piculs.
Piculs.
Piculs.
Tin contained Tin. in tin ore. Total. Piculs. Piculs. Piculs.
97,835 339.504 437,339 . .. . 109,867 311,468 421,335 . . . . 43,397 196,795 240,192 54,215 176.960 231,175 90 29,140 29,230 121 34,576 34,697 15,281 28,673 43,954 . . 12,930 27,744 40,674 ___ -- - Total ... , . , . . 166,315 570,583 736,898 167,421 574.277 741,698
SHARK’S LIVER OIL INDUSTRY PROPOSED. Vice-Consul General D. Milton Figart, Singapore, Straits Settlements, states t h a t i t has been proposed t o start in Malaysia a small export trade in shark’s liver oil. This oil is refined in Europe and sold as cod-liver oil. I n October the ocean sharks come into the lagoon, between the barrier reef and the atolls, t o pair. A t this time they can be speared in large number by people skilled in catching them. There are several species of these sharks and they ordinarily run from 7 to 15 feet in length. The girth of a n ordinary shark is the same as its length, and an I I-foot shark would be I I feet around the body. The liver of a shark of this size gives about 5 gallons of oil. The oil brings $73 a ton. The sharks are found in pairs and the harpooners try t o kill the male first, in which case they are able to also spear the female, as i t does not desert its mate.
