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T H E JOURNAL OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
THE CANADIAN CHEMICAL JOURNAL As indicative of t h e highly stimulated condition of t h e Canadian chemical industries incident t o t h e war period, we have received t h e initial number of The Canadian Chemical Journal, published a t Toronto, Canada, under the same management which founded The Canadian Engineer, The Canadian Textile Journal, The Pulp and Paper Magazine, The Canadian Woodworker a n d other technical publications. T h e new journal, t o be issued monthly, is “devoted t o t h e chemical a n d metallurgical interests of Canada.” T h e present issue contains interesting articles on Canadian water powers, t h e nickel industry of the Sudbury region, potash f r o m Canadian feldspar, chemistry in Canadian woods, etc., a n d many up-to-date industrial notes. Confidence in t h e future of the Canadian industry is shown in t h e following excerpt from one of t h e leading articles: “Of course t h e present abnormally high prices of almost all kinds of chemicals make this a n attractive field of investment, b u t i t may fairly be
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Vol. 9, No. 6
assumed t h a t t h e natural resources of Canada are such t h a t t h e Canadian chemical industries will s t a n d t h e readjustment OE peace conditions and t h a t in m a n y of t h e more important branches they will become permanent. This assumption is based mainly on three factors: First, t h e enormous water powers of Canada, as yet undeveloped, which are becoming more a n d more t h e deciding element in t h e cheap production of many chemicals-such, for example, as atmospheric nitrogen; second, t h e mineral deposits of Canada whose extent and variety are as yet scarcely comprehended b y our own people; a n d third, t h e intelligence and energy of t h e younger generation of Canadian students, who will naturally t u r n their talents t o the possibilities opened u p under t h e new conditions.” We desire t o extend best wishes t o t h e new j o u r n a a n d t o predict for i t a career of marked usefulness in t h e industrial chemical life of our neighbors across t h e almost imperceptible northern border-line.
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN CANADA
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Address delivered b y H. E. HOWEa t t h e 54th Meeting of t h e American Chemical Society, Kansas City, April 1 2 . 1917
T h e force with which t h e importance of chemical industry has been brought home t o t h e world since August 1914 has led t o a stock-taking in various countries, a n d a review of t h e situation a t present, followed b y prophecies for t h e future. T h e extent t o which our complex civilization depends upon chemical products a n d chemical processes is greater now t h a n a t a n y time in t h e world’s history, a n d t h e accomplishments of chemical industry are in many cases so like magic t h a t t h e popular press seizes upon t h e spectacular items a n d frequently overlooks extensive developments in localities which t o t h e ordinary mind seem t o lie outside t h e chemically active countries. We have h a d German chemists, German research a n d German efficiency t h r u s t upon us until one can scarcely mention t h e subject of chemistry without seeming t o hear “Die Wacht a m Rhein” or “Deutschland uber Alles.” B u t Switzerland before t h e war was producing more dyestuffs per capita t h a n was Germany, notwithstanding t h e fact t h a t she h a d t o import her raw materials, including coal itself. The world can learn much about advertising from Germany. Since t h e war we have heard more of chemical industries in other countries, a n d steps have been taken t o organize thoroughly a n d bring into a state of cooperation t h e many successful chemical laboratories, institutions, a n d individual chemists so as t o place t h e British Empire and t h e United States upon a firm chemical foundation. The work confronting chemical industry a n d chemical engineers in t h e production of enormous quantities of munitions is almost beyond our imagination. It may be measured in a way b y t h e munitions production record of England. At t h e beginning of 1917 t h e production of high explosives was sixty-two times what it was in 191j. British munition factories are now making more heavy gun ammunition every 24 hours t h a n they
manufactured during t h e entire first year of t h e war. The monthly o u t p u t of heavy guns is more t h a n six times what i t was during t h e year 1915. T h e o u t p u t of bombs increased thirty-threefold during t h e single year M a y 191j t o M a y 1916. Fourteen times t h e quantity of machine guns made during t h e period of August 1 9 1 4 t o August 1915 were made during t h e year 1915 t o August 1916. T h e daily output of t h e twelve national projectile factories, which have as yet n o t developed their total capacity, would fill a train one mile long requiring eight engines t o pull it. Where production is speeded u p t o this extent there are sufficient chemical a n d chemical engineering problems t o t a x t h e resources of a nation, not t o mention t h e important work which England is doing on dyes, optical glass, refractory materials, porcelain, metallurgy, etc. I n France t h e organization is such t h a t t h e chemical plants make only what is required for war a n d of a quantity a n d quality according t o t h e specifications of t h e military departments. You are so well acquainted with t h e active steps taken in A4mericasince 1914 t h a t i t is unnecessary for me t o emphasize t h e importance of t h e work accomplished or under way, b u t in considering t h e position of t h e North American Continent, what attention has been paid t o t h e achievements and potentialities of Canada, our neighbor t o t h e north? Let me tell you something of what is being done there a n d suggest t h e possibilities in a brief account of t h e natural resources. C H E M I C A L PRODUCTIOI’;
I n one locality, destined t o become a n electrochemical center of some magnitude, there will ultimately be available approximately joo,ooo z4-hour horse power. Here acetone is being made b y a new process a n d t h e production of metallic magnesium in quantity is going forward, t h e metal being supplied in
