CANADA’S OPPORTUNITY

Evening Star, Issue 14512, 2 November 1910, Page 12

CANADA’S OPPORTUNITY

MANUFACTURE OF NITRATES

A HINT TO SIR JOSEPH WARD,

Tho recently issued report of the Canadian Department of Mines contains a plea for the prosecution and development of the nitrates industry. The report says, inter alia:— “ Canada imported only £139,300 worth of nitrate of soda in 1908; whereas the United States imports about £3,000,000 worth of Chilian nitrates annually to refertiliso her exhausted agricultural lands. The reason for the comparative smallness .of Canada’s import trade in nitrates is explained by the fact that the prairie lands of the Dominion are covered with rich virgin soil, hence do not need replenishing with artificial fertilisers to any serious extent. In a few years, however, the law of diminishing returns will apply to Canada as seriously as it does to tho United States. When that time arrives, nitrates will bo greatly in do&and in the agricultural regions of this country. The far-seeing nations of North-western Europe arc evidently preparing for a large export trade, in artificial fertilisers, as the foregoing extracts from the British consular report shows. Perceiving that tho guano Beds in Peru and saltpetre beds of Chili are rapidly approaching exhaustion, they are straining every nerve to establish an immense nitrates industry. But seeing that this country is almost prodigally furnished by Nature with w’ater powers, from which electric energy can bo developed at reasonable rates, there is no reason why a flourishing industry in the manufacture of air nitrates should not be established for supplying not only our own homo market, but also tho markets of the United States and the Orient.’’ Another statement made in tho rc-

port is that .tho extraordinary' rapidity with which electric furnaces for the production of steel have been developed and perfected since the publication of tho report of tho commission appointed by tho Dominion Government to investigate tho eJectrothermic processes in Europe in 1904, will bo appreciated when it is stated that only four electric furnaces of comparatively small capacity tvero then in existence in Europe; whereas in 1908-yfour years later—there wore forty-six in operation, and thirty-one under construction.