GERMAN NITROGEN

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1922, Page 1

GERMAN NITROGEN

HULL, October 2nd. “Let us beware that while Gretna and almost all our own munition works are calmly being dismantled, the world is not caught napping a second time,” said Dr. J. A. Hark or to the British Association at Hull to-day, in drawing attention to the nitrogen plants of Germany. Hr Darker, who was formerly Dilector of Research at the Ministry of Munitions. said that while disclaiming any idea of being an alarmist, he felt it his duty to call public attention to one or two points which had a bearing on the fact that nitrogen is essential to the production of munitions. In 1913 Germany produced .90.000 tons of nitrogen chiefly for agricultural purposes. The smaller Germany of to-day produced 290,000 tons of nitrogen. and the wohle of this quantity was produced in Germany itself. At the end of this year Germany would have at, her disposal an internal capacity for producing 500,000 tons of fixed nitrogen a year. This would

make her entirely independent of ail nitrate importation, and in case of another war she would have all the basic materials for a gigantic output of munitions and enough fertiliser to grow a large share of her food. “It may be justifiable,” he concluded, “for the Allies to allow our late enemies to put themselves in so strong a. position so soon after the war, but it may also bo that those whose function it is to see that some at any rate of the provisions of, the peace treaty are carried into effect are not aware of what is happening.”