10 Professor William Caldwell on 



eflfecting the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. With us in Ireland 

 the product is required as a fertilizer, and in this case it would 

 obviate any risks of loss hy accidents to the ships, and indeed it 

 would save much shipping which could be diverted to other 

 uses. We have had to rely on our Navy and its command of 

 the seas for the importation of all our supplies of nitrate of 

 soda, the raw material required to make explosives. On the 

 other hand, the Central Powers have been cut off from external 

 supplies, and have had therefore to develop, their internal 

 resources, which they have done to an enormous extent, and if 

 it had not been for this marvellous developmant of chemistry, 

 Germany would have been defeated three years ago. 



Since the begiiming of 1915a Committee has been appointed 

 in England to consider these different schemes, and latterly after 

 more than a couple of years, a report has been issued and the 

 Government has made some important recommendations, and 

 some real work has l)een begun. 



To help those who wish to make individual efforts the 

 Government will readily place all their knowledge at their 

 disposal. Some new work has likewise been done on the 

 synthesis of ammonia, and a catalyser has been used which gives 

 excellent results. 



Now what can we do in Ireland. Have we any means of 

 providing cheap power 1 In the first place one should perhaps 

 say that any waste f r'om the gas works, or gas coke furnaces, or 

 blast furnaces should be prevented, because we are just able to 

 obtain about l/lOth of the amount of ammonium sulphate we 

 should obtain if waste Avas entirely prevented. 



It is not a dream to assert that the power is at our doors. 

 If we want water power then on the Bann we have two water- 

 falls — one at Portna and the other at Mavanagher. They might 

 be used without any very extensive hydraulic work, and would 

 produce between them about 600 H.P. The falls are not high — 

 from lift, to 16ft. — but then we must remember that the falls 

 at Keinfelden and Schaffhausen are not any higher. These small 



