president" S ADIiRES.S- SECTION B. 33 



" The present war — the most destructive and costly the 

 world has ever known — has involved an enormoiis expenditure 

 of national wealth, effort and brain power, and has brought 

 about amongst other things — I hcpe partly through the m- 

 strumentalitv of this dissemination of technical information — 

 the commencement of the renaissance of chemical industry in 

 England. 



"Practically all the nations cf the world will emerge from 

 this war impoverished to a greater or less extent, and there- 

 fore competition will be exceedingly keen in all of the world's 

 great markets. Germany, the arch-enemy, both military and 

 industrial, already has her great industries well organized 

 both commercially and chemically, and will probably be in 

 a positicn immediately war ceases tc flood the world with her 

 produ'cts — particularly chemical products. Practically all of 

 her major industries are xmder i;nified control, or at least 

 enjoy some measure of co-operation in respect cf technical 

 knowledge and practice. 



"The Allied countries can certainly ])ut themselves into a 

 position to ccmpete with Germany on equal tenns, if only they 

 will utilize the opportunity which the war has given them to 

 come together and apply the effort and wealth now being ex- 

 pended to the re-creation or modernization of their industries, 

 where this may be necessary. As factories are extended and 

 new factories are built to meet the demands of war, let them 

 be extended and built upon the most modern competitive lines. 

 Let the several Governments collect from manufacturers, and 

 make available, data on various processes and new industrial 

 methods, so that manufacturers can intelligently extend their 

 works or replace obsolete methods or plant. 



"Certainly, if the Allies will mutually and loyally ex- 

 change information and help one another on these lines, we 

 shall win, not only the present war cf swords, but also, and 

 with equal certainty, the war of industrial competition which 

 must inevitablv follow." 

 As was to be expected, the chemists showed themselves to b;e 

 receptive pupils, and Mr. Quinan's educational policy met with 

 complete success. The cii'culaticn of ccmparative costs data, com- 

 bined with the frequent conferences, developed a spirit of emulation 

 between the technical staffs of the several factories quite equal to 

 that called up by severe trade ccrapetition. This, and the fact 

 that they were provided with the very best plant obtainablci, re- 

 sulted in a smoothness and efficiency of working which, all things 

 considered, was little short of mai'vellous. 



But the activities of the Department of Explosives Suj^ply did 

 not stop at explosives. Towards the end of 1917 orders were re- 

 ceived to get out designs for a factcn- to jn'oduce about 30,000 



