GAS MANTLES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 30, 30 October 1918, Page 7

GAS MANTLES

ANOTHER MONOPOLY: LOST TO GERMANY. Before the war ii group of Germans had almost n monopoly of' monazite, a mineral fouiiil in the sand of the seashore in certain parts of the world,'from which was obtained thorium nitrate, n white salt which was absolutely essential ■in the nnfhufacture of gas mantles. It also produced a. self-luiiiiuoiis compound for the making of watches and night compasses, and this, in view of the great rarity of radium, was of considerable importance. Monnzite was found in Travaiicore, a native Indian State under British protection, in 1!)10. 'The' British Govern' meat decided that it could keep out the Germans by means of an English company, registered in London. 'J lie directors were English, but the company was capitalised l'rom Germany, arid in return Germany asked for just oiie tiling—all the monazite irt Travar.eore. In September, 11)14,' a 'British company obtained the right to all the monazite in the .privately-owned parts of the sea coast of Travancore. Germany had lost the dominion of the gas-mantle market, and sho need nover regain it.if things m'o properlv managed after the war. The world uses 4AO million gas mantles annually. .