ix ORIGINAL RESEARCH 



year had worked for five years without result, but that 

 at last he succeeded in making a discovery which has 

 not only repaid the company his salary, but has brought 

 them in a sum of money reckoned at half a million. 

 A third cause which doubtless exerts a great influence 

 in this matter is the English law of patents. This, in 

 the special case of colouring matters at least, offers no 

 protection to English patentees against foreign infringe- 

 ment, for when these colours are once on the 

 goods they cannot be identified. Foreign infringers 

 can thus lower the price so that only the patentee, 

 if skilful, can compete against them, and no English 

 licences of the patent can exist. This may to some 

 extent account for the reluctance which English 

 capitalists feel in embarking in the manufacture of 

 artificial colouring matters. That England possesses, 

 both in the scientific and practical direction, ability 

 equal to the occasion none can doubt. But, be that as 

 it may, the whole honour of the discovery of artificial 

 indigo belongs to Germany and to the distinguished 

 chemist, Professor Adolf von Baeyer, whilst towards 

 the solution of the difficult problem of its economic 

 manufacture the first successful steps have been taken 

 by Dr. Caro and his colleagues at the Baden Aniline 

 and Soda Works at Ludwigshafen. 



In reference to the above I may add that a further 

 and more important step in strengthening the hold 

 which the Germans possess on the manufacture of 

 artificial colouring matters for the whole world has 

 lately (1905) been taken in the amalgamation of the 

 three great colour-manufacturing companies at Hochst, 

 Ludwigshafen, and Elberfeld for common action. This 

 will probably result in cheapening the manufacture of 

 artificial indigo to the point which may render the 

 production of natural indigo impossible. 



