146 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. XI 
tungsten, molybdenum, and platinum was largely under the control 
of alien enemies. Vast stocks of these metals had been accumulated 
in alien countries and the treatment of the ores of these metals had 
practically slipped.into their hands from our own. 
As an illustration of what I have referred to I may cite the case of 
tungsten. This metal as you may know is largely used for metallic 
filaments of electric lamps and for hardening steel-cutting tools. As an 
example of what was going on previous to the war, I may say that the 
whole of the output of Burma went to Germany, and the world was 
dependent on her for a great part of its supply of this metal as well as 
of the alloy ferro-tungsten. Moreover the monazite sands of Travancore 
were controlled by her and she also regulated the price and the output 
of this mineral and the production from it of thorium nitrate, thereby 
controlling also the gas mantle industry. In regard to tungsten, drastic 
and immediate action was necessary in order to meet our requirements 
in carrying on the war but for some extraordinary reason since 1914 
there has been a steady drop in the production of tungsten from Burma. 
In January, 1915, the exports from that country were 232 tons, while 
in January, 1916, the output diminished to 217 tons. Even when the 
control was in our own hands the influence of the enemy was still felt. 
A number of coolies were sent to Tavoy to meet the requirements but 
still tungsten was not produced in anything like the quantities expected. 
The Government of Great Britain has now, however, sent mining engineers 
to supervise the production and no doubt the situation will be altered. 
I mention these things to show you into what a pitiable state we had 
fallen through our neglect of matters of vital importance in connection 
with the mineral industries of the Empire. Attention should be drawn 
here to one particular industry which has been developed in Canada 
through the prosecution of the war. For some years Professor 
T. L. Walker and others followed by Mr. G. C. Mackenzie and the 
Staff of the Mines Branch made a special study of the deposits of 
molybdenum ores in Canada and of the treatment of these ores, and as 
a result of this work the Mines Branch was enabled to point out to 
the metal industries of Great Britain that we had in our midst con- 
siderable deposits of molybdenum, and that this metal could be used 
largely in place of tungsten in the hardening of steels. But the inform- 
ation fell on deaf ears until the outbreak of hostilities when, with the 
supplies of tungsten largely diminished, a demand arose at once for the 
molybdenum. I am glad to tell you that the production of this metal 
has now become a very important and profitable industry in our country. 
We have been taught the lesson and at a terrible cost that we must 
preserve our metals, first of all for our own use. We have vast resources 
