874 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL. No. 1042 



the vast water power. Eeseareh is con- 

 stantly in progress, and the results of the 

 Swedish investigations in the electric 

 smelting of iron ores have indicated much 

 for a better utilization of the iron deposits 

 in certain parts of the United States where 

 conditions are not unlike those existing in 

 Sweden. 



THE CHEMICAL INDUSTEIES OF NOEWAT 



There are several features worthy of 

 careful study in connection with the chem- 

 ical industries of Norway. First is the very- 

 systematic and exhaustive manner in 

 which the abundant water power of the 

 country has been regulated, stored up, and 

 pressed into the service of the constantly 

 growing group of electrochemical indus- 

 tries. The highest engineering and chem- 

 ical talent of Norway is patriotically en- 

 listed in this cause, and already the road 

 is constructed for little Norway to assume 

 an industrial position commensurate with 

 its geographical size and maritime facilities. 



In the field of industrial organic chemis- 

 try, Norway has also shown her ability to 

 develop an industry — the manufacture of 

 oxalic acid. This is a branch of manufac- 

 ture which has never been developed in 

 North America, and, as there is only one 

 plant producing oxalic acid in the United 

 States, comparatively enormous amounts of 

 money have normally been expended annu- 

 ally in the purchase of this commodity in 

 Norway and Germany. 



While the climate is severe, coal is lack- 

 ing, the mineral deposits are not easily 

 accessible, and the conditions of life are 

 comparatively hard, the Norwegians have 

 brought certain chemical industries to the 

 fore. In the development of these, chem- 

 ical research has had a prominent part. 



THE CHEMICAL INDUSTBIES OF HOLLAND 



The Netherlands offers a most interesting 

 example of what can be accomplished in 



building up diversified branches of the 

 chemical industries when there is an almost 

 complete dependence upon foreign fuel and 

 raw material. The evolution of the manu- 

 facture of starch, of mineral pigments, of 

 matches, and fertilizers, as well as the in- 

 dustries connected with the oils and fats, 

 are most instructive in this connection. 



Providing the people of Holland remain 

 free from military burdens, it may be pre- 

 dicted that the exceptionally high degree 

 of thrift, intelligence and enterprise char- 

 acterizing the Dutch will enable them to 

 accomplish the enlargement of the field of 

 chemical industry and to free the country 

 from dependence upon foreign sources of 

 supply of finished products. 



THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES OF BELGIUM 



Prior to the present war, Belgium was 

 regarded from the standpoint of the tech- 

 nologist as offering a most instructive ex- 

 ample of what can be done in a small 

 country in the healthy development of a 

 large group of closely allied industries. 

 All the chemical branches dependent to a 

 greater or less extent upon the natural 

 products of the land had been brought to 

 a high state of perfection. In addition, 

 numerous chemical industries utilizing raw 

 materials of foreign origin had been called 

 into existence. Then, too, the abiKty to 

 capture, in various directions, foreign 

 markets for different chemical products 

 had been revealed to an astonishing degree. 



The Belgian chemists of the next decade 

 will once more be obliged to concentrate 

 their endeavors in building up the indus- 

 tries for which the little kingdom was so 

 worthily famous — the production of staple 

 articles of value. In this line they will, no 

 doubt, show that high degree of inventive 

 skill, capacity for organization and com- 

 mercial acuteness which has always char- 

 acterized the Belgian technologist. 



