July 1, 1921

turn, germinate in a cupric solution. The action of the mixtures hitherto employed is not then in any way due to the metal, suppression of which is to be considered in the composition of anticryptogamic mixtures.-Comptes Rendus, Feb. 7, 1921. A NEW organisation, under the title of The Federation of British Propaganda Societies has been formed, the object of which is to co-ordinate the work of propaganda societies and, as far as possible, prevent overlapping. Already about 15 propaganda societies have expressed their willingness to join. His Grace The Duke of Northumberland has consented to act as President, and Sir Henry Birchenough, K.G M.G., is Treasurer. The General Secretary is Mr. David Gilmour, O.B.E., Sicilian House, Southampton Row, London, who will be willing to give further information to any of our readers.

the

OUTPUT OF BROMINE IN U.S.A. IN 1920.-The New York Journal of Commerce states that bromine, which is derived from brines pumped from deep wells in Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, │ was produced by eight firms in the United States in 1920. The output, according to the United States Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, was 1,160,584lb., valued at $745,381, a decrease of 37 per cent in quantity, and nearly 40 per cent in value from the output of 1919 The quantity produced, however, was greater than in any year before 1918. The average price per pound received by the producers rose from 13 cents in 1910 to $1.31 in 1916, and was 64 cents in 1920, which is more than three times the average price in the year before the war. The New York quotations on bulk bromine, which ranged from 70 to 90 cents in the summer of 1920, were 50 to 52 cents in December, and are now about 40 cents.Department of Overseas Trade.

AN INDUSTRIAL OPTIMIST.-Mr. H. G. Williams, M.Sc., a member of the Industrial League and Council seems to be an optimist of the first water Months ago he was predicting what at the time seemed an impossible fall in the cost of living, but events have substantiated his assertion, and now he is equally emphatic on the point of a trade revival. With the nation still in the throes of countless industrial differences, on the verge of maturing to formidable dimensions, one must, indeed, be sound of heart to acquiesce with him in his optimism. Yet, so accurate has Mr. Williams been in his prognostications heretofore, that he may infuse a degree of confidence where pessimism prevails. It was towards the close of January this year that he wrote: "By May, retail prices should be about a fifth lower than they were on November 1st, 1920, and the cost of living should then be about 120 per cent above pre-war level. I venture to predict that by the end of the summer the level will have fallen to about double pre-war prices, i.e., 100 per cent." Were it not for the coal dispute, there is not the slightest doubt that the index figures for the cost of living published on May 1 would have been well below the prophetic figure of 120 cited by Mr. Williams, instead of standing at 128. How near he will prove to be accurate in his contention that the cost of living will be down to 100 per cent by the close of the summer remains to be seen. In the

current issue of the Industrial League Journal he says: "The world-wide indications at the moment show the beginning of a general revival of commercial confidence. A world revival in trade may be predicted with considerable certainty, and this country will share in that revival provided that British goods can be offered at prices sufficiently attractive. This will probably involve employers and employed making adjustments in their minds as to the money value of the profits and wages which they can reasonably expect to obtain, but even more important is the increase in individual production which will ensure lower selling prices without the necessity of any serious lowering of the standard of living, though, temporarily, both employers and employed may find themselves forced to accept a lower standard than they have enjoyed in the recent past." Mr. Williams has on more than one occasion voiced the opinion that it will not be long ere the cost of living will be down to 75 per cent above the pre-war figure. It seems like anticipating the millenium.

THE POLISH POTASH INDUSTRY.—It is quite probable, when the frontiers of New Poland are definitely fixed, that the districts of Steppenitz and Kalusz, comprising deposits of salt and potash, in East Galicia, will be allotted to this country. Hitherto potash has only been mined at Kalusz, the deposit being industrially workable, in the opinion of experts. The Kalusz deposits contain chlorides and sulphates of potassium and magnesium, and the upper bed sylvinite and kainite. The bed of kainite is 10 to 12 metres thick, and in some places 17. There are four distinct beds of potash. The sylvinite bed is about two metres thick, and contains 25 to 60 per cent of potassium chloride. The second bed is 15 metres thick, and has 12 per cent potassium chloride, being situated 30 metres below the kainite deposit. Below the chief deposit there is a third sylvinite deposit, consisting of two beds, containing 42 per cent potassium chloride, 12 to 80 metres thick. It is not very probable that the potash mines of East Galicia will be of great importance to foreign markets, and the Kalusz mines can only be of local importance.-Chimie et Industrie, May, 1921.

NEW COMPANIES.

The under-mentioned particulars of New Companies recently registered are taken from the Daily Register compiled by JORDAN & SONS, LIMITED, Company Registration Agents, Chancery Lane, W.C.2.

CLIMAX MANUFACTURING (OMPANY, LIMITED. (175211)Registered 15th June, 1921. 283, Victoria Dock Road, West Ham, Essex. To carry on the business of Chemists and Druggists. Nominal Capital: £1,200 in 1,200 Shares of £1 each. Directors:

A. Curtis, Groveley, Feltham Hill, Middlesex: D. Cable, 5, Avondale Road, Mottingham, Kent; S. J. Coxwell, Milton Lodge, First Avenue, Westclift-on-Sea. Qualification of Directors: £100. Remuneration of Directors: To be voted by Company.

Το

KLEANEESE SOAP COMPANY, LIMITED. (175219)-Registered 15th June. 1921. 47, Church Street, Stoke Newington, N.16. acquire and carry on the business of Soap and Polish Manufacturers. Nominal Capital: £500 in 1,000 Shares of 10/- each. Directors: P. H. Bateman, 23, Vesta Road, Brockley, S.E.24.; G. Hartrodt, 120, Greenwood Road, ackney, E.8.; D. Bailey, Beechwood, Moss Lane, Pinner. Qualification of Directors: I Share. Remuneration of Directors: To be voted by Company.

July 1, 1921

Treating Lead-Zinc Ores.-Mr. E. F. Elmore of Boxmoor,
Hertfordshire, has obtained a Patent No. 162026 for a process of
treating argentiferous lead-zinc sulphide ores. They are roasted
with a halogen salt such as sodium, potassium, calcium, or
magnesium chloride in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature
above 400°C. but not high enough to volatilize lead chloride, but
zinc sulphide remaining for the most part unattacked. To prevent
any appreciable attack on the zinc the temperature should not
exceed 500°C. The air employed in the roasting is preferably
moistened if dry. The product of the roasting is leached with hot
brine to extract lead, some silver and any zinc chloride. The lead
and silver are recovered in any known anner, for instance, by
cooling the solution and treating the deposited chlorides as
described in Specification 129773 to separate the silver as argen-
tiferous lead sulphate, the brine being used repeatedly. The
residual ore is treated with a solvent for silver such as a solution
containin 35 per cent calcium chloride and 3-5 per cent cupric
chloride or 3 per cent hydrochloric acid as described in Specification
151698 or, if there is an appreciable quantity of lead, the o.e is first
treated with hot brine containing hydrochloric or sulphuric acid as
described in Specification 127641 to extract the lead and part of the
re naining silver, and then as above described to extract the
remaining silver. the used brine containing sodium sulphate and
the lead salts obtained may be treated as descrived in Specification
129773 to de-sulphate the brine and obtain lead sulphate. In a
modification if there is some unoxidized lead sulphide remaining
after the roasting or after the leaching with brine, the ore is leached
with hot strong solution of calcium or magnesium chloride contain-
ing enough hydrochloric acid to convert the lead sulphide into
chloride. This effects a good extraction of the silver and renders a
subsequent extraction unnecessary. If it is preferred to have a
small quantity of zinc chloride present in the calcination, which
may be derived from the ore if it contains some easily attackable
zinc, or, may be added at the beginning or towards the end of the
calcination, preferably as a mixture of sodium and zinc chlorides
obtained by evaporating some of the brine used for leachings.
Specifications 131353, 135968 and 141044 also are referred to.

Messrs. Rayner & Co., will obtain printed copies of the
published specifications and will forward on post free for the official
price of 1/- each.

Invaluable in every Laboratory.

MANUFACTURERS' PRACTICAL RECIPES.

JAMESON'S Treasury of Original Recipes and New
and Improved Processes, with full working instructions
for manufacturing. Prospectus, giving details of con-
tents, sent post free on mentioning offer 438.

FOYLES, The Booksellers,
121-125, Charing Cross Road, LONDON.

THE CHEMICAL NEWS.

VOL. CXXIII., No. 3195.

WHITLEYISM THE ONLY SOLUTION. CONSIDERED VIEWS OF THE INDUSTRIAL LEAGUE AND COUNCIL.

WE have received the following memorandum from the Industrial League and Council :

In

The extremely critical position into which Industry has now drifted gives cause for the gravest anxiety. Disputes of a national and local character have created a feeling of instability to all concerned. Confidence, the bed-rock of trade and commerce, must be restored to the world. dustry is almost at a standstill, and our foreign trade, both imports and exports, shows an alarming decrease. The Industrial League and Council have given this matter very serious consideration, and are convinced that no permanent or substantial change will occur until there exists a greater confidence between employers and employed. The development of Labour and Employer organisations on antagonistic lines places the two bodies in opposing camps from which they tend to view each other with hostility. From circumstances such as these it is hardly possible for anything to accrue but disputes, strikes, and lock-outs.

The formation of a National Joint Industrial Council would not, in the opinion of the Industrial League and Council, do much to lessen the tension existing. Rather would it add to the difficulties, as a National Joint Industrial Council, whilst it would be useful for the exchange of opinons, would be too unwieldy and complex to be of any use as a means for industrial harmony. As an alternative, the Industrial League and Council advocates strongly the formation of Joint Industrial Councils in every industry as the only means whereby disruption in industry may be avoided; 70 of these have already been established, most of which have been very successful. The world is suffering from a complete shortage of almost, if not all, the necessaries of life, and only years of hard work and sacrifice on the part of all, whether employers or empolyed, will in any way remedy the circumstances. The warlike policy which still unhappily characterises our industrial relations can lead to nothing but disaster for the whole community. Lost foreign markets are extremely difficult to re-establish, and lost time caused by industrial disputes is an important factor in maintaining high prices. The recent mining dispute has lost to the miners at least £55,000,000 in wages; it has lost to Industry countless millions of pounds sterling. Joint Councils of Employers and Employed in the mining, as in other industries, would, in the opinion of the Industrial League and Council, minimise the possibility of disputes, and would bring harmony and prosperity to the industry. The total number of workpeople involved in disputes during the last 12 months is 5,414,000, and the total working time lost is 72,885,000 working days; these are independent of the vast body of workers who were otherwise out of employment, of whom no less than nearly 8 millions drew unemployed pay during the same period. Time and labour lost is a reduction in national wealth and affects every member of the community.

The Industrial League has from its inception in 1915 resolutely abstained from any interference in trade disputes. It has consistently advocated the better relations a s between employer and employed, and has since 1917 assisted in establishing Whitley Councils. It is strongly of opinion that the time has arrived when every industry, no matter how well organised it may be on either side, should have its Joint Industrial Council.

Amongst the signatories to the memorandum are the following members of the Executive Committee of the Industrial League and Council: Viscount Burnham, C.H., Rt. Hon. G. H. Roberts, M.P., Sir Wm. Peake Mason, Bart., Mr. John Baker (Iron and Steel Trades Confed.), Mr. E. J. P. Benn, C.B.E., Mr. A. Bellamy (Ex-President N.U.R.), Mr. Hugo Hirst (General Electric_Co.), Mr. E. W. Petter (Messrs. Vickers Petter, Ltd.), Mr. Robt. Young, M.P.

Events of the past week strikingly illustrate the fact that if anything will bring this country back to a state of productivity and place our industries in a position to successfully compete in all the markets of the world, it is the practical appreciation of the principles of Whitleyism. In this respect facts substantiate the views expressed by the industrial League and Council.

For instance, in the wool textile industry, peace for at least a year has been accomplished by the satisfactory manner in which the National Wool (Allied) Textile Industrial Council on Monday the 27th ult., came to agreement on a different wage question.

A similar report comes to hand in respect of the flour milling industry, the operation of which directly effects every person in the land. On Wednesday, the 29th ult., a wage cut of 7s. 6d. per week was agreed upon by the National Joint Industrial Council for this industry.

The railways have embraced Whitleyism; the printers, by reason of its operations have been without serious strife for a long period, and are at this moment amicably discussing a proposed wage reduction. Farm workers are anxious to obtain a Whitley Council because they appreciate its value, and this week also, the dockers are discussing at the Board of their National Joint Council for the Docks the all-absorbing wage question, and will, no doubt, arrive at a solution of their difficulties without strife. These are but few of the happenings in the world of Whitleyism tending to shape the future welfare of our people. These Councils have been working steadily and unobtrusively for months past, and it is only on rare occasions they figure in the limelight, and then only because all sections engaged in an industry are unable to see eye and eye on a particular matter.

SOIL ACIDITY IN

ITS PHYSICO-CHEMICAL ASPECTS.* By E. M. CROWTHER, Rothamsted Experimental Station. THE application of basic materials, such as lime or chalk, has long been known to result in increased soil fertility, especially in the case of the so-called "sour soils." Such soils are recognised in practice by a fairly characteristic weed flora,

*A Contribution to a General Discussion on "Physico-Chemical Problems Relating to the Soil "held by The Faraday Society, on Tuesday, May 31, 1921,