NATURE 



[December 20, 1917 



also been placed at the disposal of the Explosives De- 

 partment for the benefit of other controlled establish- 

 ments. 



The apparatus is compact; the expense involved in 

 its installation, apart from ammonia purification plant, 

 is comparatively small, and its operation is simple. 

 Arrangements have therefore been made for the rapid 

 manufacture of the converters likely to be required, 

 since it is believed that these designs may become 

 standard types for the purpose in question. An ex- 

 planatory pamphlet, compiled by the research staff and 

 embodying detailed information concerning the con- 

 struction and operation of the converters, will be avail- 

 able shortly for the use of firms which have already 

 taken up the process or are desirous of doing so. 



Further Research. 



Up to the present date the research has practically 

 been confined to the two processes mentioned above 

 and to problems arising therefrom. The investigations 

 of the Committee have shown, however, that many 

 important and promising fields still remain to be ex- 

 plored. 



In present circumstances all activities have been 

 concentrated upon processes which have a possible 

 value as war measures, and no attempt has been made 

 to extend the programme of research beyond such 

 limits. In view, however, of the national importance 

 of the nitrogen problem, both now and in the future, 

 it is hoped that definite arrangements will be made 

 to preserve the continuity of the research after the war. 



The Importance of Cheap Electric Power. 



It was realised from the outset that the generation 

 of electric power at a cost decidedly lower than has 

 hitherto been attained in this country was a vital factor 

 if an attempt was to be made to establish certain of 

 the nitrogen fixation industries in Great Britain on a 

 sound economic basis from the point of view of post- 

 war competition. A thorough inquiry has therefore 

 been made as to the possibility of cheapening the 

 production of electric power from coal, not only by 

 its generation in bulk with the most modern plant, 

 but also by the use of methods involving carbonisation 

 and gasification, with recovery of the ammonia, fuel 

 oils, and other by-products hitherto wasted when raw 

 coal has been directly used. The sub-committees con- 

 cerned have had the advantage of obtaining the per- 

 sonal views of a number of experts who attended to 

 give evidence on different aspects of the problem. This 

 inquiry has been distinctly fruitful, and much detailed 

 information has been collected. 



Schemes for thfe utilisation of various undeveloped 

 water-powers in the British Isles for nitrogen 

 fixation have also been submitted and carefully 

 examined. At least one of these schemes for hydro- 

 electric development on a considerable scale presents 

 prima facie prospects of becoming a valuable national 

 asset. The Power Sub-Committee recommended that a 

 survey should be made of the drainage area in question 

 with the view of confirming the details oJF the scheme 

 as submitted. The survey has recently been completed 

 and is expected to result in the formulation of a definite 

 development scheme for the utilisation of this water- 

 power. It is estimated that the engineering work 

 involved will take about two years to complete, and 

 the scheme is therefore to bo regarded as a post-war 

 measure. 



Costs of Operating Nitrogen Fixation Processes. 



Since many of the nitrogen fixation processes have 

 not only a value for munitions, but also a post-war 

 importance, endeavours have been made to investigate 

 the probable requirements of this countrv for nitrogen 

 products. A detailed examination has been made of 



NO, 2512, VOL. 100] 



the production, consumption, imports, and exports of 

 such products, and special consideration has been given 

 to the question as to the relative order of the costs 

 involved in operating the synthetic and non-synthetic 

 processes. 



Most of the information relating to synthetic pro- 

 cesses has had to be obtained from foreign sources, 

 and the Committee has been able to secure many figures 

 of an authoritative character. The information thus 

 collected has been subjected to critical examination in 

 the light of manufacturing experience "in allied indus- 

 tries, and conclusions have been arrived at as to the 

 costs likely to be incurred under British conditions. 



The magnitude of this part of the inquiry may be 

 measured when it is stated that the Committee is in 

 possession of comprehensive data concerning the cost 

 of manufacture of : — 



(a) Nitric acid and nitrates by the older methods, 

 and by the arc and ammonia oxidation processes; 



(b) Calcium carbide and cyanamide ; 



(c) Ammonia and ammonium sulphate by the Haber 

 and cyanamide processes ; 



(d) Hydrogen and nitrogen ; 



as well as concerning the costs involved in operating 

 the Chile nitrate and the by-product ammonia indus- 

 tries. 



Nitrogen Fixation in the United States. 

 The action taken by the United States Government 

 on the nitrogen question is worthy of notice. Under 

 the National Defence Act of 1916 a sum of 4,000,000!. 

 was set aside for the establishment in the United States 

 of nitrogen fixation on a large scale. Committees of 

 the National Academy of Sciences, and afterwards of 

 the Ordnance Department, were set up. Their advisers 

 visited England and the more important nitrogen fixa- 

 tion installations on the Continent outside Germany. 

 Upon the recommendation of their experts, the U.S.A. 

 War Department has decided to erect forthwith works 

 for the manufacture of synthetic ammonia by a modi- 

 fied Haber process. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Leeds. — At the meeting of the council of the Uni- 

 versity, held on November 21, the following extract 

 from Prof. Cobb's annual report as Livesey professor 

 and head of the Department of Coal-gas and Fuel In- 

 dustries was read: — "A valuable donation of carbonis- 

 ing, washing, and purifying plant has been promised, 

 which, in the near future, should prove of very great 

 service to the department and the gas industry ; but 

 the erection of the plant must await the conclusion of 

 the war. When installed, this plant is intended to 

 serve as a connecting link between the apparatus of 

 the laboratory and plant on the full working scale. 

 It should allow of the production of any quality of 

 coal-gas and water-gas required for experimental pur- 

 poses, and will, moreover, from the possibility of exact 

 control and read}' modification of its parts, allow studies 

 to be made on the influence of varying conditions 

 of operation which it is hoped will be of a high order 

 of usefulness, both for training and research. For this 

 gift the University is indebted to the generosity of Mr. 

 Henry Woodall, jun., who expresses himself in a letter 

 of June 8, 1017, as happy to provide and erect the 

 plant, ' free of cost, to the University in memory of my 

 late father and partner, whose interest in the Univer- 

 sity was verv deep and sincere.' " The council accepted 

 the offer with great pleasure, and expressed its most 

 sincere thanks to Mr. Woodall for his generous gift. 



The annual meetings of the Geographical Associa- 

 tion are to be held on January 5 and 7 next at the 



