WAR OF CHEMISTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1917, Page 6

WAR OF CHEMISTRY.

HOW GERMANY CAPTURED HIE INDUSTRY. ' London, Oct. 7. Professor Pope, addressing a meeting of teachers at the Regent street Polytechnic, yesterday, said that Germany prepared for war by the establishment of a huge chemical industry, which was built up about the coal-tar industry, and then exporting a very large proportion of the world's requirements of coal tar colors and pharmaceutical and photographic products.

That success was achieved in spite of the fact that this country at one time possessed the whole of the heavy chemical industry of the world. We former'.v produced practically all the nitric and sulphuric acids and the greater part of the alkali used throughout the world. That has been taken from us as the result of the foresight and'the exploitation of scientific ability which Germany has shown.

The coal-tar industry was established originally in this country, and. until ten years ago, Germany was practically dependent on us for crude coal-tar and for tho simpler first products separated from coal-tar.

Alluding, to the establishment of the Department for Scientific and Industrial Research, with an endowment of £1,000,Cf)o, he asserted, "The question we want answered is why that expenditure was not made twenty ypn.ra ngo at a time 'when it Would have Ijoori undoubtedly successful in preventing the horrors of the last three rears?"