224 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1914. 
In fact, as far as the culture of science was concerned, the Nether- 
lands, Germany, and Italy, and more particularly England, were 
head and shoulders above the France of “le Roi Soleil.” 
The struggle of the new régime put France in the awkward position 
of the legendary beaver which “had to climb a tree.’’ 
If for no other reason, she needed scientists to help her in her wars 
against the rulers of other European nations. She needed them just 
as much for repairing her crippled finances and her badly disturbed 
industries which were dependent upon natural products imported 
until then, but of which the supply had suddenly been cut off by the 
so-called continental blockade. Money prizes and other inducements 
had been offered for stimulating the development of chemical proces- 
ses, and—what is more significant—patent laws were promulgated 
so as to foster invention. 
Nicolas Leblanc’s method for the manufacture of soda to replace 
the imported alkalis, Berthollet’s method for bleaching with chlorine, 
the beet-sugar THUR aEE to replace cane sugar imported from tho 
colonies, and several other processes, were proposed. 
All these chemical processes found themselves soon lifted from the 
hands of the secretive alchemist or the timid pharmacist to the rank 
of real manufacturing methods. Industrial chemistry had begun 
its lusty career. 
First successes stimulated new endeavors, and small wonder is it 
that France, with these favorable conditions at hand, for a while at 
least, entered into the most glorious period of that part of her history 
which relates to the development of chemistry, and the arts dependent 
thereon. 
It is difficult to imagine that at that time Germany, which now 
occupies such an enviable position in chemistry, was so far behind 
that even in 1822, when Liebig wanted to study chemistry at the best 
schools, he had to leave his own country and turn to Gay-Lussac, 
Thénard, and Dulong in Paris. 
But the British were not slow to avail themselves of the new 
opportunities in chemical manufacturing so clearly indicated by the 
first successes of the French. Their linen bleacheries in Scotland 
and England soon used an improved method for bleaching with 
chloride of lime, developed by Tennant, which brought plana the 
manufacture of eer chemicals relating thereto, like Salpharie acid 
and soda. 
The chemical reactions involved in all these processes are relatively 
simple, and after they were once well understood it required mainly 
resourceful engineering and good commercial abilities to build up 
successfully the industries based thereon. 
From this epoch on dates the beginning of the development of that 
important industry of heavy chemicals in which the British led the 
world for almost a century. 
