14 CHEMISTRY 



similarly manufactured from coal tar toluene. In 

 both cases large quantities of sulphuric and nitric 

 acids are consumed in the manufacture. The plant 

 in every coal tar colour works can be readily 

 diverted from its original purpose, the preparation 

 of colours, to the manufacture of the above high 

 explosives. In August 1914 the plant available 

 in Great Britain for the manufacture of high 

 explosives was hopelessly insufficient for the calls 

 which were to be made upon it, whilst Germany, 

 by issuing an order to its coal tar colour works, 

 could meet any demand upon its resources. In 

 two years this country has been able to remedy 

 all its former deficiencies in high explosive produc- 

 tion; it has increased its normal output of one 

 million tons of sulphuric acid per annum to an 

 amount which is doubtless the subject of anxious 

 discussion beyond our fighting line. To do this 

 has necessitated the enlistment of the services of 

 practically every chemical technologist and every 

 academic chemist in the country. A similar result 

 has been achieved in other departments of activity 

 and is, of course, very significant; in provision of 

 explosives, guns, equipment and men, Great Britain 

 has done in two years as much as Germany did in 

 forty years. 



An attempt has been made in the foregoing 

 pages to sketch very briefly the way in which one 

 of the most peaceful occupations, that of the 

 chemical technologist, can be rapidly converted 



