[MCLENNAN] PRODUCTION OF HELIUM 55 



The authorities cited agreed to co-operate with vigor in support- 

 ing these proposals, and large orders were at once placed by them 

 with the Air Reduction Co., and the Linde Co., for plant, equipment, 

 cylinders, etc. The Bureau of Mines also co-operated by developing 

 a new type of rectifying and purifying machine. By July, 1918, the 

 production of helium in moderate quantities was accomplished, and, 

 from that time onward, the possibility of securing large supplies of 

 helium was assured. 



During the progress of the development and production stages 

 in Canada and in the United States of America, steps were taken by 

 the Admiralty to institute near London, England, an experimental 

 station under the direction of the writer. This station was designed 

 for purifying supplies of low percentage content helium which might 

 come forward from the base of supplies, or which might have become 

 contaminated with air in service at the front. 



Investigations were also set in train to develop industrial and 

 scientific uses for helium, and to work out experimental details of the 

 technical use of helium in aircraft. Among others, investigations were 

 begun on the inflammability and explosibility of mixtures of hydrogen 

 and helium, on the use of helium for thermionic amplifying valves, 

 on the suitability of helium for gas filled incandescent lamps and gas . 

 arc lamps, on the permeability of balloon fabrics for hydrogen and 

 helium, on large scale charcoal absorption methods of purifying the 

 gas, on the use of helium for high electrical resistances, and progress 

 was made in the installation of equipment for the production of liquid 

 helium for low temperature research. Steps were also taken to exam- 

 ine spectroscopically all samples which came forward with the object 

 of ascertaining whether any indication could be obtained of the exist- 

 ence of any new and hitherto unobserved gaseous elements. 



Those who participated in these investigations were Professors 

 Satterly and Burton, and Captain H. A. McTaggart, Mr. R. T. 

 Elworthy, Mr. V. F. Murray, Mr. E. Edwards, Mr. J. T. F. Young, 

 Mr. H. J. C. Ireton and Mr. K. H. Kingdon, all with one exception 

 members of the University of Toronto. 



In the early stages of the investigation, valuable help was secured 

 from Lord Shaughnessy and the members of his staff on the Canadian 

 Pacific Railway, from the President and Board of Governors of the 

 University of Toronto, from the Director of the Meteorological Office, 

 Toronto, and from the Directors of the various natural gas producing 

 companies in Canada, in particular from those of the National Natural 

 Gas Co., of Hamilton, and those of the Canadian Western Natural 

 Gas, Heat, Light & Power Co., of Calgary. 



