226 nature's 



Therefore it is not necessary to be brought 

 to a white heat, as it is in the case of the pro- 

 duction of carborundum, described elsewhere. 



It was extremely interesting to observe the 

 wonderful magnetic effects that were pro- 

 duced in iron when brought into proximity 

 with these enormous electrical conductors. 

 The voltage was so low that one could handle 

 them with impunity. The iron crucibles be- 

 came so magnetic that a heavy bar of iron 

 seven or eight feet long would cling to their 

 sides, so that it would be held in an upright 

 position. Bars of iron would cling to the con- 

 ductor at any point along its length, and, al- 

 though these conductors were carrying an 

 energy of over 3000 horse-power, they pro- 

 duced no perceptible effect upon the human 

 body. The reason for this lies in the fact, 

 first, that the body is not made of magnetic 

 material, and, secondly, the pressure is so low 

 that the body being a poor conductor would 

 not easily allow the low-pressure current to 

 pass through it. 



Aluminum is fast becoming an important 

 article of commerce, and it is destined to be- 

 come more and more so on account of its ex- 

 treme lightness as compared to other metals. 



It is found to be valuable also when used 

 as an alloy with many of the other metals. 

 One of the great drawbacks to its more ex- 

 tensive use liss in the fact that as yet no sat- 



