I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING C H B M I S T R Y
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Scandinavian Letter HORTBN, NORWAY
THEEXPORT INDUSTRIES During the first six months of 1924 Norway has exported 175 million kroner of fish and fishery products, which is 70 million kroner more than during the same period last year. Most of it has been herring and other fish, raw and cured, but whale oil and its refined products also play an important part. The cement industry can rejoice in good market conditions, particularly the factories in Norway owing to low value of the Norwegian krone. A large part of the Scandinavian cement is shipped to the American republics, the United States as well as Brazil and Argentina. Norwegian sodium nitrite has been among those articles which have been suspected for dumping in the United States, and several weeks ago it was reported that a 50 per cent customs increase had been laid on this chemical in conformity with the “flexible clause.” Recently, however, the United States Treasury Department has informed one manufacturer that the suspicion has been found to be without basis. The sodium nitrite is produced in large quantities as a necessary by-product by the absorption of electric arc nitrogen oxides, and consequently the costs of production are extremely small in comparison with other processes for the manufacture of this chemical. The prices on Danish butter have been rapidly increasing during the last week, most likely owing to the rise in sterling in Copenhagen. England imports a part of her butter from Denmark-during the year of 1923-24, 91 million kilograms or 41 per cent of the total import. Danish exporters are a t present a little afraid of a customs increase in Germany and the United States. An American investigation commission has recently arrived in Copenhagen for the purpose of examining the question of dumping, but it is earnestly hoped that the suspicion will be considered groundless. The Finnish export of lumber goods is in poor condition owing to the embargo laid upon the wine import as a consequence of the Finnish prohibition act, which has caused Spain to blockade the Finnish lumber in return. Sweden is profiting on this situation, robbing Finland of its old Spanish market. GERMAN DUMPINGEXPECTED After the Dawes plan is put into effect Germany will no doubt make great efforts to reconquer its old Scandinavian market, and the newspapers in these countries are very busy with the question of the expected German dumping policy. The possible effect of the German competition on foreign markets is also discussed, and even the advisability of various precautions which can be taken by the interested organizations in cooperation with the respective government institutions in order to meet the situation.
ENGLISH INVESTMENT IN SOAP INDUSTRY The English soap syndicate, Lever Brothers, has bought a stock majority in the large Norwegian fat-refining and hydrogenation factories, De-No-Fa, which have consequently taken up the production of soaps for the Norwegian and foreign markets. The same syndicate has also built a new soap factory in Denmark, which recently has been put in operation. SCANDINAVIAN PAPER
Washington Letter MUSCLBSHOALS
By C. H. A. Robak
MEETINGO F
Vol. 16, No. 11
ENGINEERS
The Society of Paper Technologists held its second annual meeting in Christiania, August 27 to 29, a t which one hundred fifty paper engineers were present from all the Scandinavian countries. Papers were presented on such subjects as high-pressure steam, application of X-rays in cellulose research, importance of microscopy in the paper industry, recovering fiber from back water, cooking assays with sulfite cellulose, and properties of rotary paper as claimed by the newspaper printer. September 25, 1924
Is the Spanish Market Worth Exploiting?-The
consumption of chemicals in Spain is now confined largely to the textile, glass, ceramic, ferrous and nonferrous metallurgical, and vegetable byproducts industries. The United States a t present does not occupy a very prominent place as a supplying country, but, with a more favorable Spanish exchange, American exporters may find that the Spanish market offers opportunities that merit both investigation and trade promotion.
The withdrawal by Henry Ford of his bid for Muscle Shoals came as a decided surprise in most quarters. The reason assigned by Mr. Ford for this action is that “productive business cannot wait on politics.” No matter from what angle the proposition is regarded, the fact remains that by this step the Government has merely lost its lowest bidder for the Muscle Shoals properties. It is hoped that this retirement of Mr. Ford from the list of bidders will pave the way for concerted action by Congress, and t h a t soon after it convenes in December it will take favorable action upon the recommendation made by the President in his message to the Congress on December 6, 1923. I n this connection we believe that the recommendations made by the special committee of engineers appointed by the American Engineering Council a t the request of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry on April 5, 1924, should receive most careful consideration, since in our opinion they offer the best solution to this much discussed problem. Those recommendations were: We recommend the immediate creation of the Joint Committee of Congress “to consider offers, conduct negotiations, and report definite recommendation,” as advised by the President in his message t o the Congress, December 6, 1923. We further recommend, owing t o the many conflicting statements a n d misinformation which have been disseminated, t h a t a technical commission not t o exceed seven in number be appointed by the President of the United States t o analyze and interpret the available data relating to Muscle Shoals, this commission to advise the Joint Committee on technical questions. We further recommend t h a t no negotiations for the disposal of t h e Muscle Shoals property be closed pending the report of the Joint Committee.
Such a joint commission, if it would avail itself of the help of business men, engineers, and scientists, should be able, with t h e data which have already been compiled and which are available, t o reach a prompt decision without spending further time in hearings, investigations, or junkets. I n our opinion such a commission should be composed of engineers, scientists, and business men, who would deal with the proposition without bias or prejudice. The question must be settled on a n engineering and scientific rather than on a political basis. HELIUMSAVES LIVES The fact that helium was used. in the United States Army Blimp, TC-2, which came crashing to the earth on October 10 by the premature explosion of a bomb, is responsible for t h e saving of the lives of four out of a crew of five men. It will be recalled that the TC-2 went to Newport News to participate in the bombing maneuvers and while so engaged a bomb, carried beneath the basket and about to be released from a low altitude a t a target below, prematurely exploded. The explosion of the bomb broke the gas bag of the ship, which came to the ground as the noninflammable helium with which it was filled escaped. The crew had no time to take to their parachutes. Of the five men in the ship, three were badly shocked, one died, and a fifth was seriously injured. The full extent of the damage to the ship has not been determined, but it is certainly not beyond repair, thanks to the use of helium. If, on the other hand, hydrogen had been used, it would have ignited and the entire ship would have been destroyed and all the crew killed. This is the best demonstration for helium that has yet been made, and i t is hoped t h a t Congress, when it reconvenes in December, will lose no time in taking final action on the helium bill, which is now pending. As far as can be learned the popular and military demand for helium is greater than ever. The Bureau of Mines has stated that we have sufficient helium resources to supply all the needs of the Army and Navy. All that is necessary, therefore, to put our helium program into effect is for Congress to enact legislation which will carry with it adequate funds for the conservation and production of helium. UNITEDSTATES CHEMICAL WARFARE ASSOCIATION The United States Chemical Warfare Association was organized a t a meeting presided over by Brigadier General Amos A. Fries, chief of the Chemical Warfare Service, and held in Washington, October 9, 1924. The association was organized t o promote the efficiency of the national defense by maintaining the high standards and traditions of the chemical warfare branch of the military establishment; by fostering esprit de corps; by the dissemination of professional knowledge; by the exchange of ideas; by placing the Chemical Warfare Service to the forefront
