A Treatise on British Oil (pp. xi. + 233, 1919, with folding plates). Contri- 
butions by six specialists, edited by J. Arthur Green, with a foreword by Sir 
Boverton Redwood (since deceased). Published by C. Griffin and Co. It 1s 
now becoming common knowledge how oils of all kinds—animal, vegetable and 
mineral—were deciding factors of the war. They provided food and drugs and 
medicines, ammunition and power. Great Britain was especially concerned about 
her petroleum supplies, as she had to rely so largely on importations in oil- 
tankers which were subjected to such constant attacks by U-boats. Consequently, 
systematic survey and research were instituted to endeavour to supply British 
oil. Departments of Petroleum Research and Mineral Oil Production were 
founded, and highly qualified technologists controlled the work of chemists, 
engineers, geologists, colliery-owners, &c. 
This book is the result of collaboration of several scientists, each a well-known 
specialist in his own branch of the subject, and the aim is to sum up and present 
the chief results of the latest researches in such manner as to render available the 
information that has been acquired bearing upon the one practical point—the 
establishment of a new industry of national importance. The authors and 
sections are:— 
Geological—WH. H. Cunningham-Craig, B.A., F.R.S.E., F.G.S., author of “ Oil 
Finding.” 
Retorting—W. R. Ormandy, D.Se., and F. Mollwo Perkin, Ph.D., F.C. 
Refining —Andrew Campbell, F.C.S. 
Chemical.—A. E. Dunstan, D.Sce., F.1.C., F.C.S. 
Power.—A. Hugh Seabrook, M.I. Mech. E., M.I.E.E. 
Foreword.—Sir Boverton Redwood, Bart., D.S.C., F.R.S.E., F.1.C., Director ot 
Technical Investigation H.M. Petroleum Executive. 
Editor—J. Arthur Green, General Manager Midland Coal Products Ltd., 
Assoc. Member Inst. Petroleum Technologists. - 
Such a combination should be a sufficient guarantee of the production of 
valuable results, and the book is a standard work of value for the whole Empire. 
In the appendix are the interim and final reports of the Committee on the Pro- 
duction of Oil from Cannel-coal and Allied Minerals, and also an outline of the 
work to be undertaken by the “Lignite Utilization Board of Canada.” There 
are enormous deposits of lignite in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and _ £80,000 
are provided for the use of the Board. An outline of the subject-matter will be 
sufficient to show the comprehensive treatment of all phases of the questions 
which are now becoming of such yital importance to all countries. 
Section I. (63 pp.) deals with oil shales in general and Cannel-coal and 
allied deposits, lignite and peat. 
Section IT. (56 pp.), on the retorting of bituminous materials, available fuels, 
coke ovens, low temperature distillation (20 pp.), including the Tozer and 
Chiswick retorts, the Maclaurin system, gas producers, and electric power 
schemes. 
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