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Cromwell Argus, 2 March 1908, Page 4

The production of aluminium during the year 11107 was considerably over seventeen million pounds, in 1883 it amounted to only £B3, and three year* later, in 1880, it had reached only £3,000 facta which give a notion of tho extraordinary growth of the consumption of tin's new and valuable metal. The price of imported aluminium in 1886 was 15dol a pound. Three years later, owing to the development of new methods of separating it from the f-übstances with which it is found combined in nature, it came down to -Idol a pound. Not long afterwards it fell to 2dol, and last year it went as low as 33 cents. The metal is a little higher now owing to the enormous demand, and recently aluminum ingots were quoted at 4'J cents a pound. Hitherto the manufacture of aluminium in the United States has been practically monopolised by one concern, operating under two important patents. One of these patents ran out last year, aiad the other will expire in February, 1009. Protection bemg thereby withdrawn from the process essential in the business, the latter will soon be invaded by a number of competitors, one of which proposes to utilise, in the form of electricity, water power on the Cumberland ltiver, beiow Williamsburg, Kentucky, where 20,000 horse-power will be available throughout the year. Notwithstanding the augmented output, tho demand for aluminium is so great that the supply on the market is always short. Among the newer uses to which it is put are electric wire crank cases and gear boxes for motor cars, panels for lining subway cars, metalplating, pigments, and cases for lightning arresters. Aluminium cases for this last purpose havo proved a valuable addition to devices for protection against lightning. The metal (says an American exchange) is being employsd in steadily increasing quantities as a substitute for tin, owing to the high price of the latter.