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The electric furnace defended
682
CURRENT TOPICS.
[J. F. it.
be an ailtropic f o r m of nitrogen. In fact, these gases do contain nitrogen, but it r e m a i n e d for R a m s a y and Crookes, o p e r a t i n g with~ cleveite, a v a r i e t y of uraninite, to obtain a g a s which g a v e the s a m e line t h a t J a n s s e n had observed. F r a n k l a n d and L o c k y e r , w h o had followed up J a n s s e n ' s work, had g i v e n the n a m e " helium " to the s u b s t a n c e c a u s i n g the line. I t w a s soon found t h a t helium is widely distributed on the earth but in small a m o u n t s . I t has been p r o v e d to be the endp r o d u c t of the e m a n a t i o n s of radio-active substances. I n 1915 R a m s a y w r o t e to Moore, of the B u r e a u of Mines, s t a t i n g t h a t he had been e n d e a v o r i n g to find sources of helium for use in airships, but had found none in E n g l a n d . H e stated t h a t he would obtain samples of mine and other n a t u r a l gases f r o m C a n a d a a n d the U n i t e d States. As the U n i t e d States w a s then a neutral country, no special a t t e n t i o n w a s paid to the subject, b u t M o o r e recalled t h a t in 19o 7 Cady and McFarland had published a paper in the Jour..diner. Chem. ~Voc., showing the presence of helium in n a t u r a l g a s f r o m K a n s a s . T h e subject b e c a m e of g r e a t importance in 1917, when the U n i t e d States entered the war, and m a n y experts w e r e consulted w i t h a view to securing sources of helium and m e t h o d s of o b t a i n i n g it in quantity. T h e s e efforts are described in m u c h detail in the bulletin, a m o n g which is the inform a t i o n t h a t in the s u m m e r of 1917 Dr. R. B. O w e n s , S e c r e t a r y of T h e Franklin Institute, then a captain in the Signal Service Corps, was sent a b r o a d on a special mission, but b e i n g m u c h interested in the helium p r o b l e m he t o o k with him a special letter to t h e British A d m i r a l t y , which resulted in the sending of two British naval officers to i n v e s t i g a t e the s u b i e c t . T h e ultimate result of the efforts of the m a n y experts and civil and m i l i t a r y officials w a s t h a t large a m o u n t s of nearly pure helium were obtained f r o m n a t u r a l gas. A t the t i m e the a r m i s tice w a s signed, a b o u t 200,0o0 cubic feet of gas containing 92.5 per cent. of helium had been prodticed and stored in steel cylinders u n d e r 2000 pounds' pressure. Seven hundred and fifty of these cylinders, each containing enough gas to make 2oo cubic feet at a t m o s p h e r i c pressure, w e r e on the dock at N e w O r l e a n s r e a d y for s h i p m e n t to France, w h e n the cessation of hostilities occurred. H.L. T h e Electric F u r n a c e Defended. H. G. WEIDENTHAL. (American Electrochemical Society, I 9 1 9 . ) - - A polemic defending the electric furnace for s t e e l - m a k i n g a g a i n s t prejudices of the trade. T h e user is u r g e d to acquaint himself t h o r o u g h l y w i t h electric furnace practice and furnish the best t h a t can be produced b y the electric furnace. T h u s " h e will do justice to himself and his business, and at the s a m e time give the electric furnace a square deal."
CURRENT TOPICS.
[J. F. it.
be an ailtropic f o r m of nitrogen. In fact, these gases do contain nitrogen, but it r e m a i n e d for R a m s a y and Crookes, o p e r a t i n g with~ cleveite, a v a r i e t y of uraninite, to obtain a g a s which g a v e the s a m e line t h a t J a n s s e n had observed. F r a n k l a n d and L o c k y e r , w h o had followed up J a n s s e n ' s work, had g i v e n the n a m e " helium " to the s u b s t a n c e c a u s i n g the line. I t w a s soon found t h a t helium is widely distributed on the earth but in small a m o u n t s . I t has been p r o v e d to be the endp r o d u c t of the e m a n a t i o n s of radio-active substances. I n 1915 R a m s a y w r o t e to Moore, of the B u r e a u of Mines, s t a t i n g t h a t he had been e n d e a v o r i n g to find sources of helium for use in airships, but had found none in E n g l a n d . H e stated t h a t he would obtain samples of mine and other n a t u r a l gases f r o m C a n a d a a n d the U n i t e d States. As the U n i t e d States w a s then a neutral country, no special a t t e n t i o n w a s paid to the subject, b u t M o o r e recalled t h a t in 19o 7 Cady and McFarland had published a paper in the Jour..diner. Chem. ~Voc., showing the presence of helium in n a t u r a l g a s f r o m K a n s a s . T h e subject b e c a m e of g r e a t importance in 1917, when the U n i t e d States entered the war, and m a n y experts w e r e consulted w i t h a view to securing sources of helium and m e t h o d s of o b t a i n i n g it in quantity. T h e s e efforts are described in m u c h detail in the bulletin, a m o n g which is the inform a t i o n t h a t in the s u m m e r of 1917 Dr. R. B. O w e n s , S e c r e t a r y of T h e Franklin Institute, then a captain in the Signal Service Corps, was sent a b r o a d on a special mission, but b e i n g m u c h interested in the helium p r o b l e m he t o o k with him a special letter to t h e British A d m i r a l t y , which resulted in the sending of two British naval officers to i n v e s t i g a t e the s u b i e c t . T h e ultimate result of the efforts of the m a n y experts and civil and m i l i t a r y officials w a s t h a t large a m o u n t s of nearly pure helium were obtained f r o m n a t u r a l gas. A t the t i m e the a r m i s tice w a s signed, a b o u t 200,0o0 cubic feet of gas containing 92.5 per cent. of helium had been prodticed and stored in steel cylinders u n d e r 2000 pounds' pressure. Seven hundred and fifty of these cylinders, each containing enough gas to make 2oo cubic feet at a t m o s p h e r i c pressure, w e r e on the dock at N e w O r l e a n s r e a d y for s h i p m e n t to France, w h e n the cessation of hostilities occurred. H.L. T h e Electric F u r n a c e Defended. H. G. WEIDENTHAL. (American Electrochemical Society, I 9 1 9 . ) - - A polemic defending the electric furnace for s t e e l - m a k i n g a g a i n s t prejudices of the trade. T h e user is u r g e d to acquaint himself t h o r o u g h l y w i t h electric furnace practice and furnish the best t h a t can be produced b y the electric furnace. T h u s " h e will do justice to himself and his business, and at the s a m e time give the electric furnace a square deal."