468 Scientific Industries. 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES. 



The present-day scientific industries in the district can be 

 classified broadly as follows : 



I. ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES: 



(a) MECHANICAL. 



(b) ELECTRICAL. 



II. INDUSTRIES OF APPLIED CHEMISTRY. 



III. MISCELLANEOUSt.e., those industries which cannot be 

 specifically included under I. or II. 



It will be recognised that such a classification, though convenient 

 for tabulating purposes, is more or less imperfect, because it is 

 almost impossible to say to which of these classes many of the indus- 

 trial undertakings in the district belong, they, in fact, having 

 departments coming under each class, as processes of manufacture 

 nowadays are so complex and involved, necessitating a highly- 

 trained staff of experts in different branches of science. A leading 

 characteristic of each industry, however, has been taken to 

 determine its classification as given in the list below. 



By examining this classified list it can be seen that certain 

 industries of the same nature have grouped themselves in well 

 defined areas. Thus we find papermaking localised around Dart- 

 ford, where its manufacture was first introduced ; Sil vert own and 

 North Woolwich together constitute the principal centre of the 

 industries of applied chemistry, one firm after another making 

 its home there, while Deptford is another centre of the same 

 industry devoted to a particular branch. The cement industry is 

 naturally located at Dartford, near the supply of material for its 

 manufacture. The mechanical and electrical engineering industries 

 are, however, more scattered, possibly because they require larger 

 areas around them for their industrial processes. 



