PRICES CURRENT. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1890. PREPARED BY HIGGINBOTTOM AND CO., 116, PORTLAND STREET, Manchester. The values stated are F.O.R. at maker's works, or at usual ports of shipment in U.K. The price in different localities may vary. CHEMICAL TRADE JOURNAL. No. 174. The Chemical Union.. Sulphite-Pulp Boiling Permanent Chemical Exhibition 176 The Copper Market ... Alpha and Beta-Naphthol 177 Report on Manure Material The Tyne Chemical Report.. 181 182 182 The Action of Light upon the Diazo Compounds of Primuline and De Zinc from Iron and Manganese. 178 The Liverpool Mineral Market... 182 Tar and Ammonia Products 183 183 hydrothiotoluidine 177 182 New Method for the separation of West of Scotland Chemicals.. Recipes for Dyers 178 New Companies.. Manures for Vines.. 179 Gazette Notices Patent List Exports Notices. ..... 183 183 184 185 188 Readers will oblige by making their remittances for subscriptions by Postal or Post Office Order, crossed. We shall esteem it a favour if any of our readers, in making inquiries of, or opening accounts with advertisers in this paper, will kindly mention the Chemical Trade Journal as the source of their information. Advertisements intended for insertion in the current week's issue, should reach the office by Wednesday morning at the latest. Communications for the Editor, if intended for insertion in the current week's issue, should reach the office not later than Tuesday Morning. Articles, reports, and correspondence on all matters of interest to the Chemical and allied industries, home and foreign, are solicited. Correspondents should condense their matter as much as possible, write on one side only of the paper, and in all cases give their names and addresses, not necessarily for publication. Sketches should be sent on separate sheets. We cannot undertake to return rejected manuscripts or drawings, unless accompanied by a stamped directed envelope. Readers are invited to forward items of intelligence, or cuttings from local newspapers, of interest to the trades concerned. As it is one of the special features of the Chemical Trade Journal to give the earliest information respecting new processes, improvements, inventions, etc., bearing upon the Chemical and allied industries, or which may be of interest to our readers, the Editor invites particulars of such-when in working order-from the originators; and if the subject is deemed of sufficient importance, an expert will visit and report upon the same in the columns of the Journal. There is no fee required for visits of this kind. THE CHEMICAL UNION. Vol. VII. THE meeting of the Alkali Trade, called at Liverpool, on Friday in last week, at the instance of the promotors of the Chemical Union, turned out to be an unqualified success. In one financial newspaper, "inspired" no doubt by the opponents to the Union, we were gravely told that only three members of the trade were present. This was totally falsenearly one hundred alkali makers were present, amongst whom were Mr. John Brock (who occupied the chair), Sir Charles Tennant, M.P., J. C. Stevenson, Esq., M.P., Mr. James Tennant, Mr. Geo. Pilkington, Mr. E. K. Muspratt, Mr. Huntley, Mr. J. E. Davidson, representing the Newcastle Chemical Works Co.; Messrs. Hedley and Pryde representing Messrs. Hutchinson's; Messrs. Barlow and Wylde attending on behalf of the Widnes Alkali Co.; Mr. Holbrook Gaskell, senr., Mr. Eustace Carey, and Mr. Holbrook Gaskell, junr., representing the firm of Gaskell, Deacon and Co., Messrs. Davis, Clarkson and Golding of the firm of Golding, Davis and Co.; Mr. Robert Shaw, of the firm of Hall Bros. and Shaw; Mr. Thos. Mattheison, Mr. Thos. Snape, Mr. Mort, and Mr. Liddell, of Mort, Liddell and Co.; Mr. Richmond, of the Liver Alkali Co.; Mr. Cook, of the Atlas Chemical Co.; Mr. Charles Wigg and Mr. G. Lloyd Wigg, of Wigg Bros. and Steel; Mr. Chas Hazlehurst, of Messrs. Hazlehurst and Sons, Mr. J. H. Dennis, of the Globe Alkali Works; Mr. E. Baxter and Mr. W. Baxter; Mr. Rayner, representing Messrs. Kurtz; Mr. Thos. Walker; Mr. McBryde and Mr. Blinkhorn, of James McBryde and Co, ; Mr. R. Rigg; Mr. P. J. Worsley, of the Netham Chemical Co.; Mr. Richardson, of Newcastle; Mr. Cannington; Mr. E. Bramwell; Mr. Mawdsley; and Mr. Chadwick, who is both paper-maker and alkali manufacturer. Mr. C. Stead, accountant to the proposed Union, and Mr. Hawkins, solicitor, Liverpool, were also present, amongst others. The chairman opened the proceedings by welcoming such an influential gathering to Liverpool, and gave a resumé of the labours of the Committee from the time of the inception of the scheme to the present. A proof prospectus was handed to each member of the trade present, from which it was gathered that the capital of the Union is to be eight and a half millions sterling, of which seven millions is set against works, plant, land and buildings, and one and a half millions for stocks and working capital. The capital of the Union will be allotted as follows:- Three millions in 7% preference shares. It is understood that the vendors have agreed to take 70% of the purchase money in shares, so that it is quite possible that the public may experience a difficulty in obtaining the allotment of any ordinary shares. The chairman stated that the Committee had come to the conclusion to issue the prospectus themselves, without the assistance of any financial intermediary. They were confi. dent of success, and he mentioned that five firms, represent. ing one-and-a-half millions of capital, have stated their intention of taking the whole of the purchase money in shares, and it is understood to be the intention of one firm to apply for £100,000 more shares than the amount of their purchase money. The public will therefore see that the alkali makers at least have confidence in the success of the Union, and the opponents to it must look upon it as un fait accompli. All the alkali works in Widnes, without exception, will fall into the Union. All in St. Helens will join, with one excep. tion. All in Runcorn will go into the Union, without excep. tion. On the Tyne all will be Union works, without exception, and the same in Scotland and Ireland. All the country works, of any importance, save one, will join the Union, and that one would probably join if the proprietors own valuation were accepted, but as moderation has so far been exercised by the Committee in their valuations, they do not see their way to exorbitant values for patents, the future value of which is only problematical. And now what is to be the future of the Union? If a policy of moderation, so far as regards selling values, be the order of the day, the Union may hold together for many years, but it is rather amusing to see such a posse of thorough going free-traders working shoulder to shoulder in such a protectionist scheme. It reminds us per contra forcibly of the spiritual advice of the worldly pastor who says, "Do as I say and not as I do." Anyhow, there is no getting over the fact that 150,000 tons of bleaching powder are being made annually, and if all the salt cake produced at the same time be made into caustic soda, about 225,000 tons would be produced. Can this all be sold? Assuming now that a profit of £2. per ton be realised on the bleaching powder, and £2. also per ton of 70% caustic soda, we have : 150,000 × £2= £300,000 With the exception of the "pinus maritima" and the sugar and Spanish cane (saccharum officinarum and calamus rodcutum) the other woods and fibrous plants were all grown on German soil. As shown in the tables, most of the experiments were carried out at a temperature above 100° Centigrade. In each test the wood and lye were placed in a glass tube, hermetically sealed, and then heated to the required temperature in an oven. The glass tubes easily withstood a pressure of from 3 to 4 atmospheres, and were cooled before opening. The experiments conducted at a temperature below 100° C. were made in small glass-stoppered tubes, and heated in a water bath. The following tables embody the results obtained : 225,000 × £2= 450,000 or a total profit of £750,000 which on the lines of the proposed prospectus would be dvisibile thus: 24 millions at 5% = £125,000 Calcium sulphite lye 12 12 110-130 about 130 over boiled soft above test boiled again 26 120-130 .... The £415,000 on the ordinary shares thus amounts to nearly 14% per annum. Whether such figures could be realised for many years, we do not venture to prophecy, but as an investment the Chemical Union shares look far more healthy than many other schemes that are placed before the British public and receive an unqualified support. SULPHITE-PULP BOILING. ΑΝ N anonymous writer in the Papier Zeitung, No. 72, September 7th, 1890, referring to the very interesting experiments of Mr. Thilmany, Kaukauna, U.S.A., on the treatment of different kinds of wood in the bisulphite-pulp manufacture-an abstract of which appeared in The Chemical Trade Journal, vol. vi, 1890, pages 303-304-gives the following account of a series of experiments done in the laboratory, on the action of sulphite lyes, of pure aqueous solution of sulphurous acid, and of aqueous solutions of the sulphites of calcium, barium, magnesium sodium and potassium, upon wood and other raw fibrous materials, |