62G AgrictiUural Gazette of X.S.TF. [Any. 3, 1908. 



The shipiuriits of lutic to Kiuojm' in J'.MHi. as shown hy statistics, wore 

 1,335,6S9 tons. Assuming a production of J ton of sodium nitrate per 

 l-'i li.-p. year. iM-lT.Jn:.' li.-p. would ix' necessary to produce the quantity 

 of nitrate above indicated. Thus tlie surphis power from the hhist -furnaces 

 of Europe woukl be more than sufficient to supply the electrical energy 

 required for the manufacture of nitrates, at the''pi;<>sent rate of consumption, 

 in this continent. 



Our own furnaces could suppl\' eneri^y (Hpiivalent to 585.'.i.J7 tons of 

 nitrate, or 472,404 tons in excess of our retpiireiuents. 



The output of ii'on fi'om the American furnaces is almost ec[ual to that 

 obtained from those of iMuope : and if the surjdus power were used foi- the 

 production of nitre, the world's output of this commodity could be trebled. 



Allowing a capital outlay of £10 per kilowatt for the buildings and power 

 outfit, and for — £ s. d. 



Interest and depreciation, 10 per cent. ... 1 



Upkeep {) 8 



Labour 6 8 



Total per kilowatt year ... £1 l-"] 4 



(Exclusive of blast-furnace gases.) 

 It may be interesting to note the relative costs of power derived from tlie 

 various sources for the production of 1 ton of anhydrous lutric acid, to which 

 end I have drawn up the following table : — 



I do not suggest that no other use can be found for this enormous total 

 of surplus power than that indicated above. It is highly probable that in 

 the near future a large proportion will be employed in the iron and steel 

 industry, as is the case in Germany to day. Nevertheless, a large surplus 

 will remain, which will be available as a source of cheap energy for the electro- 

 chemical industries, cheaper than that obtainable from any other source in 

 this country, and. perhaps, than that derived from most waterfalls, the 

 economy of which is, I think, in nuiny cases, over-estimated. 



Almost the whole of the world's supply of nitrate of soda is obtained from 

 Chili, and recent calculations indicate the year 1V)23 as the date when these 

 beds will 1)(> exhausted. This date will be still nearer if we accept tlu^ state- 

 ment made by Sir Villiam Crookes. 



