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T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L .
organizations would be included. According to McClellan, the present lack of unity has prevented the engineering profession from exerting its proper influence in the solution of economic problems and has also prevented the profession from having the standing it deserves among the learned professions. Among the functions of such a general engineering society as t h a t proposed would he arrangement of a n annual convention for the discussion of engineering in general, the holding of semiannual meetings, investigation of various subjects, appearance in national and civic matters, etc. To carry such a scheme into effect, it should have the support of a t least three of the national engineering societies. In the discussion of McClellan’s paper, hlailloux characterized it as one of the most interesting contributions presented before the Institute in a long time. This, he said, is one of the means of raising the status of the engineering profession; the proposal should, therefore, be fostered and promoted. Oberlin Smith indorsed the proposal, hut felt t h a t too much clannishness among members of different national engineering organizations exists t o make the project feasible just yet. The civil engineers, he continued, still consider t h a t their society represents all the domain of engineering except military engineering, although there is a growing sentiment among many of them for a united national society. C. L. Clarke, who indorsed the plan of McClellan, urged t h a t clannishness would be no obstacle t o its accomplishment, because none of the functions of any of the constituent societies would be disturbed. D. C. Jackson and C. L. de Muralt also indorsed the plan. I n a paper by Burton McCollum and K. H. Logan was discussed generally the subject of electrolytic corrosion of buried iron from outside current sources as well as from self-corrosion within the piece itself. The two actions are t o a large extent interdependent, the existence of one affecting largely the occurrence or severity of the other. In the tables of experimental data compiled by the authors the factors are given which are most likely to effect electrolytic corrosion of buried pipes under practical conditions. Among these elements are current density of discharge, moisture content of the soil, presence of oxygen, temperature, voltage, etc. I n the laboratory tests carefully cleaned iron anodes were tested in cans of sifted earth moistened with distilled water. Meanwhile, check specimens of iron were also embedded in protected sections t o investigate simple self-corrosion. Detailed precautions were necessary in the preparation and cleaning of the specimens. To afford a variety of practical conditions, soils from various localities were used in the tests. The authors discussed briefly earth resistance. polarization and surface-film resistance, presenting tables
of results of specific resistance and corrosion tests, etc. A number of practical conclusions were drawn from the experiments, it being found, among other facts, that corrosion is most efficient a t low current densities and is independent of temperature, of depth of burial and of the oxygen present in electrolytes. Soil resistance varies with moisture content up to the point of saturation. Information of interest to the industrial power engineer was given in a paper by C. 4.Kelsey outlining the principal operations in the process of working up raw rubber. This material has a large capacity for absorbing power and is greatly improved by such working. Motor drive of sheet rolls involves a n irregular load with abrupt peaks. Mixing, masticating, tubing, calendering, etc., are some of the other operations involving special applications of motors. Certain operations of “working ” and mixing also have heavy overloads of short duration, but these diverse demands, by grouping under a single motor, result in reduced peaks. For individual drive, squirrel-cage induction motors are preferable. In the calendering processes where close speed control over ranges of four to one is required, direct-current motors may be used to advantage, speed adjustments being effected by the multi-voltage and adjustable-voltage methods. The tubers also require direct-current operation. As the power required to drive the mills is by far the greatest part of the total requirements, alternating-current service is generally selected. The motor-generator set or synchronous converter used to supply direct current can then be used for power-factor correction of the main circuit. I n conclusion, there was given a comparison of methods for obtaining adjustable-speed operation, with emphasis on the features t o be embodied in the control. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHEMICAL SOCIETIES Monsieur Ernest Solvay, of Brussels, has intimated his intention to place a t the disposal of the International Association of Chemical Societies a sum of nearly a million francs for the purposes of the Association, together with rooms in his Institute in Brussels. Prominent members of the Association suggested that i t would be fitting t h a t its meeting in September should take place in Brussels instead of in London, in order t h a t the members present may have an opportunity of conveying their thanks personally to Monsieur Solvay for his munificent gift. The next meeting of the International Association of Chemical Societies will, therefore. be held in Brussels, beginning September 19, 1913.
NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE, GERMAN MANUFACTURE OF BARIUM COMPOUNDS Consul Thomas H. Norton reports t h a t until recently heavy spar-barium sulfate-served almost exclusively in Germany as raw material for the manufacture of barium oxide, barium hydrate, barium peroxide, and the various salts of barium. The sulfate was reduced by heating with coal in kilns to the form of the sulfide. From the solutions of the latter, barium carbonate was precipitated by the action of carbon dioxide. This carbonate served as the starting point for the preparation of the chloride, the nitrate, the oxide, etc. It has now been found possible by the process of b’. Feld (German Patent No. 149,803, of 1 9 0 1 ) to reduce directly natural barium carbonate (witherite) to the form of oxide by heating in retorts in the presence of a fuel free from hydrogen. The cheap witherite of England is now imported in considerable quantities into Germany to serve this purpose. The import
I
amounts annually t o about + j O metric tons, valued at S16.6j per ton Several other methods ha\-e been patented in Germany, but it is not known t o what extent they have been introduced as technical operations. A. Frank patented in 1901 (German Patent No. 135,330) a process based upon the interaction betwekn barium carbide and barium carbonate when mixed and heated. 3BaC0, 1. BaC, = q B a 0 -C j C 0 There is a vigorous evolution of gas, and when this ceases the reaction is complete. H. Schulze, of Bernburg (German Patent KO. 240,267, of 1 9 0 j ) , finds it possible to secure a very porous form of barium oxide by the direct reduction of the carbonate, if the retort employed for the purpose is lined with carbon, and if a narrow space is left free between the walls of the retort and the mixture of carbonate and coal. Otherwise. compact crusts are formed
