818 CHE>SIS'J!RY AND INDUSTRY Oct. 3, 1030

DYES AND TEXTILES IN BRITAIN: 1930" By JAMES MORTON, U.D., P.R.S.E.

\Vlien Prof. Jlorgnn, this year's prcsidcnt of the Chcniicnl Section of tlic nritisli Associntion, nppronclicd nic for n papcr, I csplnincd to liim t l in t I Iind rcccntly dclivcrcd inysclf nt such lcligtli to tlic Royal Socicty of Arts on tlic pnrticular aspect of dyes with irhich I nm fnniiliar-in a pnpcr called " The history of tlic dcvclopmcnt of fnst dyeing and dyes "-that I felt I Iind not much iiiorc to ndd. He csplnincd, how- ever, t h a t ns I occupicd tlic uniqm position of being I)oth n dycrnnkcr and a Inrgc user of dyes, my opinion a t this time would hc of spccinl vnlric ns liclping to strike n b:ilancc between tlic intcrcsts of tlic ninkcrs iriid tlic iiscw of dyes, pnrticulnrly in rclntion to the incidcncc of thc Dycstiiffs Act, which ends its normnl coiirsc in January ncst. Pcrlinps I ought to csplnin thnt, while I rcinnin cliairmnii of Scottish Dycs, nncl a tlircctor of British Dycstul'fs Corporation, my financial intcrcst in dyes is now Inaiiily mcrgcd in Inipcrinl Clicniicnl Industries, so tlint, sl)cnki~rg financially, I nm only a 1% maker of dyes nnd O90/, n uscr. I si~pposc, :is an individunl, I may hnvc tlic largest cnpitol of any ~~crson in this country invcstccl in dyeing, inasniucli ns wir coiiccrns arc nll privatc and nininly pcrsoiinlly o~nicd. I iiiake this statenient so t l i u t it will lie clenr t l in t I iini essentially intcrcstcd in wlintcvcr iiiny bc Imt for tlic iiscrs of dycs in this couutry.

It mill iiot be cspcctcd of me nt this tiinc to go into tlctnils of processes or cnlnrgc 011 tlic tcchiiicnl sidc, ns 1 undcrstnntl othcrs will I I C spcnking iiiniiily 011 tlicse interesting aspects, and tlrc piirposc of my nppenrsncc Iicrc ivill, pcrlinps, Iicst bc scrvcd by nsking and-trying to tinswcr n fcw broad qucstions on tlic gcncrnl situation, questions such ns tlwc.

Docs Llic position of tlic dyc-mnliing industry to-day justify tlic very spccial efforts nnd tlic Iropcs of 10 to 12 years ago, and iiiny i t now bc riinkcil as a pcrniancnt i I d valuable assct to tlic productivc iiidustrics of this country ? Ihs it, up to tho prcsciit, bccn of vsluc or otlicrwisc to dyc iiscrs Iicrc, nntl Iinvc tlic spccinl pro- visions under which it lins had to bc tlevclopcd ltccii in m y scnsc rcspo~isiblc for our widcsprcnd tcstilc tlepres- sioii 2 \\'lint part lins the Dyestuffs Act playcd in tlic tlcvclopmcnt of the industry, and is it in tlic bcst intcrcstu of tlic conntry, and tlic users of dyes in particular, tlint tlic Act slioultl now liipsc or bc continued in sniiic or siniilnr forin ?

First, 11s to tlio compnrntivc condition of dye-ninking in this country to-dny nntl in 1914. Thc cnrlicr story is too ~rcll known to necd rcstnting. Whilc in 1914 wc wcrc tlic grcntcst tcstilc couiitry in the world, with the largest csport trtidc, we had practically no sound indcpcndciit dye-innking industry, for nlthough con- sidcrnblc bull; of ordinnry ilyc wis producctl, wc wcrc mninly dcpcndcnt on imports for oiir intcrmcilintcs, tlic mnnufnctnrc of nliznrinc bciiig tlic outstnnding exccption. So thnt nltliough wc l ind n very Inrgc nnd flourishing dyeing industry, i t wns prncticnlly n spoon-

* Rend nL tho mooting of tlio UriLivli Association nt Britltol, SoptoIllbor 5, 1090.

fed oiic, dcpending for its supplies mid its processing mninly on Gcrrnany nnd hcr clicinists.

The CRIISC of that condition of tliiiigs is wcli worth rccnlling a t this tiinc. As cvcrj one I ino~s, tlicsc I ~ C W dycs hnd thcir origin in this coont.ry ns long ngo as 1856, Why did they not develop :tnd rcinnin with us ? I often tliiiik this is n qiicstion t l int o m tcstilc pcoplc shoulcl cnrcfully ponder. l'liey had nll tlic oppor- tunities thcn of developing nnti holding tlie fruits of a discovcry incnlculnblc for tlic futurc of- tlicir trndc. It was nt n tinic whcn iiinnufncturcrs licrc wcrc mnking fortunes in thc tcstilc industry. Tlicy hntl the innrkcts of the world nt tl~cir fcet, and wcrc mnstcrs of tlint vnst IICW productivity froin nicchnnical spinning lint1 wcnving. Yct Iicrc wns n discovcry inost vitnl to their industry, whosc significaiicc: t,licy somehow fnilcd to rcalisc, mid through npntliy or ignoraiicc let, slip through tlicir fingers ; so tl int in 1014 wc found oursclvcs in the nnoninlous position of having trncle in tcstilcs of sonic f200,000,000 sterling, using sonic €2,000,000 of clyc- stiiffs, yet without tlic knowlcdge or tlic iiicnns to Iiclp ourselvcs when tlic crisis cninc. A s I ham mid, it is ire11 for 11s tcstilc people to rccall tlint incitlcnt to-thy. In the Ropnl ,Collcgc of Clieniistry in Londoii, for some tcn ycnrh: prcvious. to 1865, fiofiiiuun, with liis pupil Pcrkin nnd ot.licrs, lind bccii patiently unc:irtlJng the ncw values to bc lind froin t,lic crude Iiotlics of coal tnr, and Iind obtnincd nnilinc i\lid tlic first syntlietic colouring ninttcr. Yct our tcst,ilc people tiiitl dyers, though, as I ltnvc snid, t,liey were ninking millions cvcry ycnr, fnilcd to grnsp tlic potcntinlitics of tlic discoveries or to give tlicni any support. It wns left to Gcrninny, n country tltcii poor in conipnrison iritli oiirsclvcs, to rcalisc tltc mcanitig of tlicsc ncw thiiigs, so thnt in 1865 tlicy bcckoncd IEofmiinn :inti his collnborntors back to 13crIin to continuc t.lint great work initintctl in London--\rorIr thnt ltiis Jielitctl, iiidccd lias nintle, niodcrii C:crinnay, and ~ l t i ~ ~ ~ i ~ t c l y rcsultcd in t.liis coltti- try being dcpcndcnt 011 licr for tlic inost vital part of our tcstilc industrics.

1 wo siinplc csamplcs will scrw to iiidicotc Iiow ininicclintc iind fnr-rcnclting t,ltis dcvclopnient wns. 3.'11c two innin dyestuffs in iisc \rcrc niadtlcr ant1 iiidigo, both froiii iiaturnl plaiits. Tho area occupicd in tlic growth of aindilcr iii 1S6S was sonictliing likc ~100,000 iicrcs. Tlic colouriiig ninttcr of ninddcr is alizurinc, nnrl within tcii ycnrs of tho rliscovcry of this syntlicti- cnlly from anthrticcnc, tlic totnl syntltctic production cscccdcd \ d i n t hod bccn t,liritS of tlic nnturnl product, mid by ISSO tlic total synthetic nliznriiic production was considcrnlJly o w r twice that of tltc originnl nnturnl ninddcr, nnd uscrs got tlicir supplics n t less tltnii onc third tlie price of ten ycnrs hforc. The ninount pro- tluccd would 1i;tve required 1 ,CJOO,OOO ncrcs for its growtli, nnd the snving cffcctcd to dyc iiscrs in tlic various coiuitrics was over fi,WO,(H)O n year. This wns dcvclopcd to sonic cstcnt in this country, but to n niucli Inrgcr cstciit+ in Gcniiniiy.

iiinkcs an cvcn 11iorc striking story. It wns dcvclopcd cnt,ircIy 1 y tlic ncw scliool of clicniistry iu Gcrniiiny. \\'a had in lnrlia soltic 1,300,000 ncrcs gro\ving indigo plant,, yielding sonic 23,000 tons a ycnr of \dint i.q iiow known RS our

r t

Synthetic indigo followed,

Ort. 3, 1U30 CHEMISTRY AX11 ISI)USTI<Y 810

stiindard 20% indigo pnstc, vnlued a t nboiit f4,000,000, t r n r l employing, i t is snirl, some 6,OOO,OOO people. By 1913 Gerinnny wns producing 34,000 tons of thc snine strengtli indigo. The Tiidinn trnilc ivns rcdiiced to vcry mcngrc dimensions, nnd tlic buyer got his indigo :it less t h q one-third the pricc of tlic former natural prodiict. So t.lint by n sinall group of clicniists and n fcw Iinndrcd pcoplc in Gcrinnnp tlicrc \vns rcplnccd n grent nnd nncicnt industry Irrrgcly iintlcr 13rit,isli control i n Indin, and tlic nniount of tlie pew prodiict reprcscnted \vlii1t W O I I I ~ I I I ~ W nicnnt n ~ i nrcn of ovcr 2,oO,OOO iicrcs nnd the cniploymcnt of ovcr 9,OOO,OOO pcoplc, or it bout twicc tlic nreii iind twice tlie popiilntion of tlic i\-Iiolc of Lnncnsliirc.

'l'liesc nrc two striking nnd nionunicntnl csaniplcs of \h i t lins resulted froin tlic pcrccption lip keen in- cliixtrinlists of the potcntitil viiliic of things n t their beginnings, nnd I Iiiirc choscn tlicin I)ccniisc t h y can I E piit into concrcte and nioncy volues in relation to previoiis iiiLtiirnl prodiicts. But cvcii niorc striking to those who tnkc the paius to in\Veutigittc is tha t enornioiis volirnie of rcscnrcli and work t l i n t is r e p - scntctl by the pntcnt iiud otlicr litcraturc of Gcrniany in tlic ficld of orgnnic clicmistry, iind especially relating to dycstnRs. Tlic wliolc problern wns rcriliscd ns n vnst i i w v world of potentin1 wcnltli, and Gcrniiiny set licrsclf to coiiqiicr it. Intlnstrics cngngctl clieniists by the scores Or liiin(lrc'cds ; t,licse wcrc linked up with the iinivcr- sit.ics, nnd with whit resiilt ? Prom the date of this ncw birt.li and the return of Iiofinnnn froin this conntry C:criiinny lint1 up to I914 tnkcn out over I 1,000 pntcnts for dyestiiris alone ; she hnd produccd syntlicticnlly tlionsnntls of ncw colonrs, so that ljy 1914 slic niiglit lic snit1 to 1ioswss the syntlictic monopoly. Her Iiroductim of dyestuffs wns nloiit 135,000 tons

I t wits tliis situntion xvc lint1 to fiicc ~d ic i i OW ports were siitlclenly closed iii 1914. \\lint Iind \vc to p11t q n i n s t this vnst ninoiint of splcndidly orgnniscd work of Gerninn chemists and the nccumnlatctl growth of tnbiilntct1d:it.n of es~icriniciits estcntliiig ovcr fifty years ? 'For i t milst Iic rcniciiibercd t hn t cvcn tliose 11,000 pntents iirc no indication of d i n t Iny I)cliintl tlicm. As clicniists wcll know, tl Iiiiblisliecl pitent rcprcscnts tlic lmrcst, tliitn onc thre givc t o sntisfy tlic protcct,irc conditions. 1'rob:ibly for onc page of n pnteiit spccifica- t,ioii tlicrc will be fifty p g e s of vnliiublc insitlc inforniii- tioii oii points of dctuil and plant. In Clcrniany all this would LO orgiinisctl nnd indcscd to tlic lnst dcgrcc, so that tlic storclioiisc of dnta iivailnblc for iicw pro- Ihnis wonld bc sonictliing colossnl.

Xow, let, nnyone t ry to compnre wliat wc lind ngninst rill this in 1914. \Vit.Iiin tlic snine pcriotl \vc liiicl tnkcn out. soiiic ZOO piitciits ngainst their 11,000, nnd wlicn onc muItililics siich iigiircs by thouc Iiiildcii pngcs of rclntive detnils in cncli, om can rcnlisc thc enornioiis Ii:indicnp wo lint1 to contciitl with. it is, indcetl, vccy tloubtful i f oiir knowlctlgc of the clicmistry of dycs a t t , l int t,iiiic iviis rc1)rcscntctl even by the sinnll pcrcentngc intlicntctl I)y tliese p ih i i t figures. In 1913 tcstilcs Iind tlicir Iiiglicst csport figurcs 011 rccortl, and tlic pltiiii triitJi is t h u t we WOTC wry content, nnd no one in t,Iiis country ivns troubliiig liiinself ovcr the coinposition

:I JTilr, VilfIlCtl illJollt f 1~&,ooo,(@o.

of tlie colours used. Indeed, orgnnic chemistry \vns not coiisidcred iii nny serious way by tlic industries, lcnsb of all t h e testilc industries oE this country. A real sense of its importnncc nnd its vitnlncss simply did not exist, with t,lic result that wc wcrc, so far ns dyes w r c coimrncd, a contcntcd spoon-fed pcoplc sitting on Gerniiin knees.

I Iinve cmphnsiscd this plinsc 1)ccausc we must tnlrc i t fully into oiir rcckouing in gnuging tlic progress of the dyc-nliiking industry hcrc from tliat tinic till now. It lint1 to be built up nlmost froin tlic fonndation, and, so fnr as tile inorc complex colours wcrc concerned, entirely from tlic foiindation. It is difficult to rcalisc wliat nll this lins meant iinlcss vie\rccl froni tlic rictrinl inside workings of thc dyc fnctory. Users see only tlic finished prooJiict, but know nothing of nll the processes that litrve Ittic1 to be cxpcrimcntcd on and perfected bcforc t l i n t colour can lie prcscntcd to t,liem. Evcn chcmists in ot.licr brniiclicv of tlic clicmicd trndc scnrccly rcnlisc tlic coinplcsity of tlic proccsscs of tlic tlycstuifs industry. I n inany of oiir coloiirs, for cxnniplc, t h e nre (i to 12 intcrnictlintc stages, nnd tlic clicinistry of cvcn one of tlicsc intcrnicdiiites is prolmldy niorc complicated than some 0 t h clieiiiicnl product nintle on tlic Inrgc scale, wliicli inay form tlic solc or ninin product of n heavy clicinicnl factory. In Scottish Dyes wc now m:ikc and inurkct prncticnlly 100 sepnratc coloiirs ant1 over 200 interinctliatcs. BIost of tliesc colonrs, as I liave mid, liavc to pnss tliroiigli 6 to 12, even 14 intermedintc stages, and tlic number of nltcrnativcs n t cncli stage, on a conscrvativc cst,inintc, woiild nvernge tlirec ; so that the combiiintioii of possi1)lc rontcs to a colour is vcry lnrgc indccd, nnrl i t rcqiuircs cstcnsivc knowledge iind rescnrcli bcforc tlic best ivny of innking cvcn onc colour is arrived n t . This coniplcsity in tlic chemistxy and ninniifiicturc of dyestuffs is conin~on in n. grentcr or lesser tlegrcc to nll bmnchcs of the trridc, nnd is R factor, cspccinlly in rclntioii to t h e , that should never bc lost sight of in cstininting tlie progress of dye-innkiiig.

7ht in spitc of nll tlicsc obstiiclcs, whit lias lieen tlic record of the indust,ry, nntl Iins it to any cstcnt justified tlic early hopes ? Wliiit \voiild Lord JIoiiltoii think of tlic growth of his child ? Tlic plainest stntcniciit is, pediiip, tlic niost cloqlIcnt tht t codd be made. I n 1013 we iiiaclc sonic 9,000,000 1b. of dycstiiffs, largely froni intcnnctliiitcs iinported, nnd, tlicrcforc, only pnrtinlly 13ritisli-ninile. This reprcscnted fully 20% of our consiimption. In 1989 wc iiindc 55,785,038 Ib. almost esclusircly from our o w i intcrnicdintcs, rcprc- scnt,ing over 00% of oiir consumption. In 1913 we lind not inntlc n single onc of tlic coniples vnt colours. In I929 (npnrt froin indigo) wc mndc 2,(i59,000 Ib. of tlicsc dyestnffs, including cvcry oiic of tlic innny Iieccs- sary intcrnicdiatcs.

J h t , i t may be sniil, have not tlicsc efforts 011 gone t o tlic iualcing of old-cstablislicd coloiirs, and tlic test will conic wlicn thc industry lins to go into n e w ficitls to nicct iicw tlcniands. Obviously clyc ninkcrs hnd to begin by innking ni id supl)lying coloiirs the dyc iisers know and wnntcd. T h y could n o t do otlicrwiso. Hut the record ill iicw dycstiiifg by British iiinlrers is fiir froin ncgligiblc nnd iiiucli IJCttCr than is generally I;no\v11. I ctiiiiiot givc tho figures for the wliole of the incluetry,

u 4

820 CHEMISTRY AND INDUSTRY oct. 3,103n

hit , e.cg., of tlie 100 coloiirs made arid sold by Scottish Dyes, 47 of tliem nre new coloiirs (32 heing entircly new products and 15 iieiv brands). Afany of the former German colours we ninke by new syntlictic routes, and our wliole mnnufncturc of the vat dyes is based on new iiiid origiiial methods. In two importnnt coloiirs in part.iculnr, I: tliink it is ndmittcd, we linvc g?ne beyond a11 previous nccomplislime~its, and, as is common kiiowlcdge now, wc Iiavc t,o our credit tlic discovery of mt jade green, of which not only do we n01v mnkc more 1)dk per nnnuni th r i tlie total iniport,ntioii of ra t colours before 1914, 1JUt larger qunntit,ies of i t nrc mndc by Gerninny under licence from us, and still larger qunntities in Anicricn. Aiiotlier originiil dcvclopment from Scottisli Dyes Iins Iicen the solubilising of tlic :iiithrnquinone vnt dyes, n fenturc that l ins long bcen wnntcd by tlic dyeing trade, ns it makes tliosc vnlunblc dyes ariiilnblc for wool niid nnt.urn1 silk, and is tlic beginning of a Inrgc new dcvelopmeiit in this section of dyes nnil dyeing.

Tlieii illy test.ilc frieiids will renicmbcr tlic sphinx of ncetntc silk. This lieautiful fibre Iind its progress iirrcstcd for ycnrs bccnusc it refused to get. itself dyed I J ~ nny existing dyestuffs, nnd i t was not till the clicmist,s of tlie Ilritisli Dyestuffs Corporation discovered new colouring clenicnts t l int acted itlcnlly on tliis fibre that ncetntc silk cnme to its own, niid wns ciinblerl to take its plncc ns one of t,llc rcilunblc factors in tlic textile tmdc. These clycstuffs go widcr tlrc i inmcs of Ioiinminc iind Durniiol. They Iinrc siiice bccn iiiiitntctl by cliemists nbrond, nntl nrc now tlic rccogniscd nictlirim for tile dyeing of ocetnte silk in :ill countries. To viscose silk the Ihit.is11 Dyestuffs Corporntioii ] ins nlso rcndcrcd sigiinl service in n new series of le.vel dyeing colours for that fibre, called Icyl, nil nccoiiiplislimcnt. that was loth opport,unc eiiitl vnIunl)lc, :iud is now also being followed I J ~ clicniists abroad.

Nnny iiew brands niid colours other thnn tliosc I linve mentioned I i n w in tlic course of tOicsc recent years been int,roduccd 1)y dye ninkcrs liere, but \dint, I Iinvc given is, I tliink, suflicicnt to sliow t h n t tlic industry in this count,ry lins not I~ecn conteiit sii~iply to reproduce former foreign dyestuffs.

Wit11 t,liis rccord, both of bulk niid new pro'o'luct.~, is i t too much to clnini, in nnswcr to our first question, t l in t the dyestuffs industry here lins amply justified its few years' rennissniicc, nnd mny be rcgnrded ns n very substnntinl new ntlrlition to the nianufncturing interests of tlic country ? Tlic users, tlic general public, and tlic Press linvc lit,tle idcn of tlle viist elfort t l int Iiiis been put i1:to this work, espccinlly during tlie lnst ciglit to t,cn ycnrs. It seems t.0 hc t,hc fnsliioii in ccrtniii news- papers in t.lie textile districts to talk lightly, not to sny scofingly, of this great work, iintl 1 oftcn wish tlint writers of lenders in pnpers like the Nunclies/cr Guurtlicw would spciid just one day wnlking tlirougli nnd nround n dye-mnlting fiictory. It niiglit give tlicni some sense of reality. Tlicy seem to listen to disgruntled textile frieiids niicl accept iinclicillcnged tlie iden t l int someliow tlio home dye conditions nrc i i Inrgc fnctor in tlio present low state of the textile trndo. I linvo bccii in the textile triicle for over forty years, nnil profess to Itnow it int,irnntely. I linve also been engngcil witli dye ninking

since tlic autumn of 191.4, niid have lieen at tlic elbow of c1iemist.s days, nnd even nights, a11 througli tliesc years. And from this close knaivlcdgc of botli trades I an1 gying to ninke n very strong statement. I n tlic past ciglit ycnrs tlicrc has been in the dye industry of this country more enterprise, more concentrated researcli and proved ability, more real ncliievcmcnt in divcovcry of ~ iew ninterials niid methods, tlmi lins been iii tlic wl~ole of the textile industry of this country in tlic pnst eighty years. Tnkc our own sninll section. WIicn we started in I91P we knew notliing of tlic chemistfry of dyes. We were n gloriously blank slicct,. We lint1 to ncquire rind train clicmists, ant1 erect cvcry- t,liing from zero. Siiicc tlieii we liavc investigntctl and produced in our laborntorics over 900 intermediates nnd 150 COIOII~S, m:iinly of t.lie complex vat type. We liavc, ns I linve snid, put on the ninrltet over 100 dye- stuffs, 47 of which nre new, sonic of tliciii being produced nbrond under licence to tlie extent of millions of pounds weight n yenr. We Iinve erected Iaboriitorics, buildings, uncl plant costing over :i niillioii sterling, nut1 gireii cniploymciit in nil entirely new nncl liiglily-tccli~~iciil industry to tillout 1200 nicii.

!l'his represcnt.s only oiic sinnll scct,ioii of tlic Eritisli dye trade. Docs tlic casunl user or tcst,ilc man who gives interviews to ncwspnpcrs a t nll reulisc wlint all this yrowtli has nicnnt ? Can the pntronising lcadcr-writer not see niiotlicr iiiid I~ctter side to the picturc, and iiistciid of just cooiiig nnd condoliiig witli old textile friends, ivoultl i t not serve better purpose to st,ir tlicm up to efforts sucli ns I linve just described 1 For I venture t o say tl int if tlic text,ilc trade nt the proper senson I d put a titlie of the conccntmted rcsciircli, nlility, mid team work into its problems t1i:it has bcen given to tliosc of dyes in reccnt years, Lancasliirc would not to-day 110 tclliiig tlie tnle of woe we hear. Nore of t,liis liitcr.

But we must now turn briefly to tlliose otlicr questioiis \re nskcd oursclves. It may IJC one t,liing to liavc bccii successful in cste~blisliing this iicw industry, but what is to he snid on tlic otlier side ? I-Ins tlic dye industry l)een nursed nnd rniscil a t t,lie expeiise of tlic textile industry, and linvc the condit,ions meiint serious mcrificc niid iiicoiivciiicncc to users of dyes ? This question is obviously bound up wit11 the considcriition of the Dye. stuffs Act and its licensing opcrtttions. As I cxplninctl at tlic out,set, wliilc I hi~ve interested myself so lsrgcly in dycmnlting, so fiir ns finniiciiil interests go I am 9Yyo n user of dyes and only 1% n maker-so that wliatcver miglit affect the user of dyes conccrus iiic very iuti- 1natcly.

Now, tlic riiicstion of wlictlier tlic dye industry liiis bcen rniscd n t n sncrifice on the pnrt of tlie users or otherwise cniinot I x stated in dognintic teriiis I J ~ niiyonc, but niy cniplint,ic opinion is tlint tlio Liilnncc is overwl~clmingly on tlic hcnefit side to the user. lllciuorics tire very sliort, tinil notliing strilres ~ i i e wit.11 so much, shnll I say, nninzcmcnt or ninusemCiit iis tlic tone of piitronagc on tlic part of sonic of tlic users to-thy to\mrds tlie ilyo industry compared wit11 tlicir siippliiint griititudc, say, tcii ycnrs ngo. Such pcoplo forget t l int the industry wns lauiiclicd nt n. t,iinc of iiatioiial sturvn- tion in dyes, niid purely for blic snlie of tlio iitlers. It

I spenk of what I linow.

Oct. 3, 1030 CHEMISTRY AND IXIUSTRY 821

wns stnrtccl on the nssumption of goodwill niid loynlty between parties t o incct n grnvc national cmcrgcncy nud futurc necessity. Tlic nttitudc of somc users and tlieir Prcss to-day makes one tliink that tlicy liavc forgottcii nll this, and t l int dycmnkcrs arc a kind of burdcnsomc lusury thcy cannot nfforcl and tlint tlicy would rcjoicc to do without. Such pcrsons would willingly scnd the iicw Hofmmins back to Bcrliii, or soincwhcrc clsc, nnd rcvcrt to tlicir old world of drcnm- land and tlic spoon-fctl nursery that kcpt tlicm so

Happily, ho~vcver, that rcprcscnts thc nttitutlc of n siiinll minority only, though, like most niinoritics, they arc apt to 1)c tlic most vocnl. \\'lint docs tlic thinking user scc in his rctrospcct of tlic period \vc liavc bccii discussing 1 In tlic first ~ I : I c c , lic rciiicnilicrs t l int during tlic War, niid for two ycnrs nfter, it was on British- mndc dycs tint1 intcrincdintcs nlniost ciitircly tl int lie tlc~)c~itlcd. Tlicy kcpt his tmdc in being. During tlic I)oom pcriotl tiround I!)20, wlien tcstilc inanu- fncturcrs mndc profits i n niillions, i t wns ciitircly Iiomc tlycs that madc tliis possiblc ; tlicrc \vns 110 otlicr sourcc nmilnldc. Tlic benefits nccruing to the tcxtilc trndc from tlicsc two pcriods, iit my opinion, inn kc n trenicn- tlous offset b:ilwicc in ftivour of tlic lioiiic tlyc scrvicc.

But wlint of tlic subsequent ycnrs, cspccially siiicc 1922, mlicn Rcpnrations s t o p p l iiiid tlic opcmtioiis of tlic Dycstiiffs Act linvc tnkcii iiorinnl cffcct ? Tlicrc is n gciicrnl irnprcssion tlitit tliiring tliosc ycnrs tlic dycstuffs intlustry ]ins bccii living oii siiffcrniicc under shelter of tlic Act, niid n t n great sncrificc on tlic part of tlic iiscrs.

arc discussing just iiow not tlic Yycstuffs Act itself, but wlietlicr tlic iiscrs Iicivc bcncfitcd or otlicrivisc by tlic csistcncc of :I dycstuffs iixlustry in tliis country. \\%at 1voultl hive becii the cspcricncc of iiscrs supposing tlic dyc industry licrc hiid sudtlcnly ccnscd, sriy, in 1922 1 Sliould IVC 11c Iiiiviiig chcnpcr colours to-day in consc- qiiciicc ? IIuvc \vc iinytliing to guitlc u s iti tliiit rcspcct 1 licmcinbcr I i i m sssumiiig ii condition in ~vliicli prncti- ciilly no colour woultl hc nviiiIn1)lc froiii milkers licrc, iiiitl tlic forcigii ni:ikcrs lcft with 110 clicck wlintcvcr on tlic priccs t h y miglit clitirgc. 'J'lic only test wc c:iii trike, niid i t is surely n fiiir iind sound test, is to risk wliat liiis Iiccn tlic basis of tlicir clinrgcs to 11s in tlic colonrs tliiit wc did not nirikc, nnd wlicrc t h y liavc Iind in coiisc- qiicncc IL f rcc niitl iinclicclicd field.

Now, in \\.hat I niii iibout to siiy ns to tlic policy Lcliintl tlic Gcriiinii quotntions tluriiig tlic past tcn ycnrs, 1 wish i t to bc understood tlirit Z siiy i t in no spirit of gricvnncc. It wns quitc nn u~idcrstanilnblc business mctliod of Iinntlling n situntion, cspccinlly Iiy n country tliiit Iind bcai inipovcrisllcd by ycnrs of tlic most cspcntivc war in Iiistory. I3ut ivlint WIIS tliiit policy ? I t wiis obviously this-to offer the colours thiit ivc iiiiiiiufncturril licrc nt prices tlint mntlc oiir productions look ilciir, whilc, in colours WC did iiot miiltc, to clinrgc ~irices t l i u t wcrc ti long wny nliovc tlicir croiioniic value. Oiily ns our viirictics incrcnscd wid IVC niltlcd oiic by oiic tliosc otlicr colours did tlic pricc of ciicli coiiic ( l o w to soiiicthing lilic nil cconoiiiic mlnc. That to lily miid is tlic great, tlic incnlculiiblc scrvicc tha t the continuctl csistciicc in this country aftcr 1920 of 11 solid dyc iiiclustxy gnvc to tlic iiscrs of dycs licrc.

contcntcd up to 1914.

This is iiot tlic tiinc or plncc, pcrlinps, to go into dctnils of such things, bu t tlic nrgumcnt demands tlint I slioiilil givc n few facts that will siilistantiatc my stntcmcnt a i d cscniplify tlic policy, pcrlinps the vcry niiturnl policy, that I hnvc dcscribctl. In t i pnpcr somc ycnrs ngo I gnvc csnmplcs of n colonr

t l in t was bciiig clinrgcd liy tlic Gcrmnii f i r m n t 37s. 6d. i~ 111. till our firm mniiufncturcd nnd issiicd i t a t ~ O S . , to bc, immcdiatcly inct by n quotation nbrond of 15s. Aiiotlicr I gnvc tlint fell in a similnr \vny from 12s. 3d. or more, bcforc our product wns issiicd, to 6s. lid. n Ib., i i

colour of vcry considcrnblc bulk to iiscrs licrc. lhcsc nrc conipnrativcly old cxpcricnccs now, but I

vnnt to givc you oiic csiiinplc thnt is of ycstcrdny or to-thy, niid I slioiild like your vcry carcful attention to this story, for not oiily docs i t cxcmplify in n dcfinitc \my niy clnini ns to tlic pricc factor, but i t may be rcgnrdctl ns n vcry correct cpitoriic of tlic wholc dyes qiicstion ns it :ipplies to this country to-day.

It rcfcrs t o what iixccl to bc Algolc, now known ns liitlniitlircnc Brown 1E. and G. I tliink I niiglit cnll this coloiir tlic sphins of tlic dyc trntlc. \Vc iiscd i t prior to 1914, and i t lincl bccoiiic $1 very vital colour. It wis used for gctting fast buff slindcs, ciiitl was specially vnl~~ni i l c for fast-colour poplin suitings for tlic Enst. 1 lind alwsys in niiiid tlic eiirly tackling of this coloiir, mid inyold friend, Sir Nilton Sharpc, tlicii cliairiiinn of the Briidfortl Dyers' Associntioii, kcpt iiskiiig d i n t Iiopcs tlicrc miglit bc for its production. Wc hnd pcepcd into its Inliyrintlr, but, iis tlicrc wcrc so inuny otlicr cssciitiiil colours t l int offcrcd cnsicr solution, i t was not till ;\lay of 1919 that I put onc of our iiiost advniiccd clicmists 011 this problcm, with liis nssistnnts. IIc wns u Ph.D. of Zuricli, and I thonglit we miglit lnnd quickly n t our goal. It was iinpossildc to discovcr from tlic inaec of piiteiit litcrnturc whnt this illgolc 13rown redly wns, hit by :I happy hit ivc got n t its constitution, and wc wcrc pcrlinps tlic only pcrsons oiitsidc Ceriiinny for ycars who kncw \vliut this product wns. It is oiic of tlic compli- cntcd I~c~~zoylnn~iiioniitlirnqiii~io~ics, oiid is fornicd from two diffcrcnt :uitlirncluinoiic tlcrivativcs, cacli of which rcquircs scvcii dificrcnt iiitcriiicdiatc stages. Encli of tlicsc lias t o bc got to tlic exact dcgrcc of purity bcforc they will coinbinc to givc tlic finiil product of tlic ncccssiiry toiic aiitl purity. As I hnvc siiid, it proved tlic very dcmoii. Although tvc kiicw its coni- position ns crirly iis 1919, i t wns 1922 bcforc \vc actually proiluccd it, iiiid tlicii of iiifcrior qiinlity. Early in 1021 ivc ~iintlc i i bntcli of 600 111. that wis redly good in qunlity, I~ut tlw yicltls iverc so low t l int tlic pricc \viw inipossiblc. Wc kcpt pegging n t it, niid 1 can rcmcmbcr iiiy visits to that ptirticular laborntory for the brown study week aftcr ~vcck, iiioiitli aftcr month, till i t grcw into ycnr aftcr year, nliviiys gctting reports of improvc- iiiciits in onc plliisc tlint wcrc lcnockcd down by fnilurcs in otlicrs. Yoii miist rciiicnilicr tlic iiiultiplicity of poccsscs aiitl mntcrinls t l in t I i n d to bd just riglit n t every stagc. This continued, nnd nltlioiigli wc wcrc iiinking so~iic colour wlricli wc mi~iingctl to i i ~ c in our o w tlycing works, it wns iiot of ii purity or at i~ pricc tl int 1 coiiltl nllow to be put 011 tlic Iiinrlret as rill cquivnlcnt of tlic Ccrninii product. In 1927, \rlicii wc bcgiiii our collnborntioii with tho alicniists of tho British Dyestuffs

r .

822 CHEMISTRY AND IXDUSTRY Oct. 3, 1030

Corporntion, we found thnt thcy also liod been brcnking tlicir jaws on t,Iiis bonc. I think tlicy wodd ngree that t h y 11nd not ndvnncctl so far ns ourselves in t . 1 ~ problem, 1)ut mc discovcrcd tha t n t one stagc t h y 11nd oI>tniiiecl, t y n c1ii~crent route, results tliat wcrc n~icnd of ours, nnd, ~vlicn we dcvclopcd our process, with the addition of this rectification, wc a t hst got our procluct pcrfcct i n tone, piirity, and yields.

Siicli is tlic history of one colour. Proin 1919 to 1928 Dr. Bcckctt nnd his assistants hnt l bccri engaged nlmost u ~ ~ i ~ ~ t c r r u ~ ~ t c d l y on its solution. To thc lnyiiinii tliis will seem n long time for thc perfccting of oiie colour. f i t i t the initinted will ~indcrstnnd. ThOllgh Bncycr first mndc syntlictic indigo in his l:il>orntory in 1880, it took till 1597, wit11 tlie conccntrntion nncl co-opcrntion of tlic licst clicmists of tlic time in Gcrninny, bcforc t.11~ yicltls nnt l otlicr condit,ions could be brought to tlic stngc t.lint cnn1)lcd it to be pit on tlic markct ngainst tlic iiciturd pro(1uct ; nud cl~cniists will iigrcc t l in t from tlic point of vicw of clicniicnl constitntio~i indigo is simplicity itself in coniparison wit,li the brow we arc discussing. Noreover, our work, iipnrt fro111 t,Iic specific piirposc, l ins lint1 most vnlunl)lc results, for from wlint scciiictl atidlcss nud Iiopclcss inrestigntioiis, nlthougli we did iiot juinl) into pcrfcct 12rown 12, it wns tlirougli tlicsc tl int we got m:iny otlicr oo~npo~~~ic ls or dcrivntires, iicw nncl otlicr~visc, which lntcr fornied the basis of t.11~ Scottish Dyes' Cclntinc scrics of colours for acetate silk, now mnni~facturcil i n n lnrgc way, niid wliicli ivc Iind pntcntcd just n fcw ~vccks 1:itcr thnn thc products of tlic British Dyestuffs Corporntion's siinilnr group.

on tlic ninrkct nnt l to rcplncc the forcigri iniport. \\%at wns the pricc to be ? In tlic light of our ncwly-nccjuirctl kno~vlcdge, wc kncw that, with tlic loiig cxpcriciicc t.11~ Gcrninns lind lind and tlieir Lidk production, i t was u colonr t l i n t conld not bc w r y cspcnsivc to ninltc. Wc kncw that under sncli conditions a figure in t,hc ~icigli- l~ourliood of 3s. per 11). woultl show n very aniplc coin- nicrcinl profit. lt,s import pricc licgnn ut 9s. (id., or niorc, per ponnil in 1922, tlicii 8s. 4d. in 1923, coming tlo\vn graducilly undcr tlic slindow of t,lie nppro~icliing British pro'o'luct (for these tliings gct Itno\vii), so tliat by tlic tinic Scottish Dyes put this coloiir on tlic mnrltct in August, 1928, thc pricc hntl suddenly c1ropl)ed from 4s. 7tl. t o 3s. l ld. , inclccd the niarkct lint1 l~ccn so riislicd just a t t,lint tiinc by tho drop in pricc tha t tlic iniports rose to ncnrly doul~lc in the immcdintc pcriod tint1 \vc wcrc lcft with nlniost no tlcmand for a considcr- nblc timc. \\'c put i t on t,lic markct n t the mile pricc ns tlie latest Gcrmnn quotation of 3s. lid,, and our pricc for bulk quniitities is now in tlic ncighbo~~rhoo~l of 3s., nnd wc got tlic total lionic trntlc.

1 h t I wnnt to sliow d i n t this intcrvcning period of nnrciidincss lins cost us British uscrs in this oiic coloiir nlono, nnd you iiiiiy tnkc i t ns nil indcx ot whnt i t is still costing 11s in those colonrs wc nro not yet ninltilig ; iind, wlint is vastly more iniportnnt, ns nn iiitlcx of t l ~ c trcmcndoi~s t"ldition:il suni onr total colour rlcniniids wonld linvc cost this couiitry undcr post-war conditions hnd we not; bcen in n position to supply 90% of tlic Iiomc demnnds.

Jn tlic figures 1 give I nni going to include with

r i 111~s wc wcrc IIOW rcildy to plt our Broivii I2 i l l id G

Brown R nnd G, Golclcii Ornngc 3 C:, ns t.liis is IL closcly nllicd coloiir with prncticnlly t,lic rninc clicniicnl coin- position and cost conditions.

Sincc 1922 \vc liuvc iniportccl of this coloiir (in t h tlircc vnrieties) a total of 518,283 lb. Thcsc Iinvc cost 11s nt tlic prices clinrgcd from tinic to tiinc (including the lnrgc qunntitics nllo\vcd in iit tlic lntcst nnil mricli reduced pricc) tlic gross totnl of €208,658. Now, ns I linvc said, wit,Ii t . 1 ~ coiiditioiis iiiii~cr wliicli tlic C e r ~ ~ i r ~ ~ i s l1nd becn mnnufi~ctiiring nll thcsc yenrs, I knoiv that a most Iilicml vnluntion, nnd onc nllowing tlicm n wry SUL- xtniitinl profit indccd, ~voiild be n sc*lling pricc of 3s. a. 11). Tlius, if wc cn]cnlntc 815,283 1 1 ~ . n t 3s. :i lb., i t gircs n gross :irnount of f122,742. Tlic amount^ wc nctunlly pnid , IIS 1 liiivc sliown, was f20Y,G55, 1)cing 11 sum of f85,9l(i it& e.ccess of whit , I 11111 siirc, under their condi- tions of mnnuf:icti~rc was nlrcndy a liigli cconomic pricc. I t ~vould bc srifc to say tlint tlicir trriilc wi!h 11s in this OIIC coloiir rilonc his rcnlisetl for tlicni considcrably over f100,000 net profit.

I think tlicsc figures s p n k for tlicnisclvcs in tcrms too cloquciit to iicctl comineiit :IS to tlicir signilic:nicc. \\'c niust not complni~~. Tlie coloiir wns a splentlid clicmicnl ncliicvcnieiit., mid tlicir post-wir clinrges indiciitcd their w r y 01)vious policy. &it tliilt vast suni rcprcsents the speciiil toll wliicli ns iiscrs wc I1:itI to pay witliin a few yciirs for l)rncticnlly one coloiir. For t,licrc is no doubt tliiit lint1 \vc lind tiinc or oppor- tunity to solvc t l i i i t pnrticulnr problem in 1922, instc:itl of in 1928, that sun1 of f85,91fi, nnil more, woold hnvc 1)ceii mvctl to 13rit.isli uscrs.

Tlint littlc story is, as 1 1i:ive soid, a very interesting nnd illuniinnting epitonic of the n i n n ~ plinscs of tlic dyes qi~cstioii as it nffects this country to-thy, ~ i n d , in pnrticular, is n surc index of tlic eiiornioiis vnluc oiir homc industry lrus I,ceii ns a clicck 011 csccssivc clinrges froin iihond over tlic \viiolc rnngc of dyestuffs ; t ~ i i t l it. shows in :I forccnI)lc wny tlic necessity of inoltcrs licrc putting tlicniselvcs in rcndiiiess to covcr the ~vlrolc licltl of the dye industry with tlic least possil~lc delay.

lht .:igtlinst this I cnn licnr sonic users nrgnc tlint tlicrc wiis surely n tinic \vlicn t,licy could linvc procurctl from nbroiicl colours coiniiion to t,lrc 111n1~11f:lct~r~ of Iiotli countries n t prices mucli lower tliaii tlic lioiiic quotnt,ion, iiiid t l i n t tlic tcstilc t,rndc in this wiy suffcrcd seriously in co~~scq~icnce. In ccrtniii groups ol coloiirs I ngrcc tlint, for a pcriotl, n coiiditioii of t,liis kind csistcd. W i l c ivc wcrc quoted Iiigli, niid, ns I linvc SIIOWI, quite i~ncco~io~nic prices for colours that ivcrc not, nindc here, iiscrs wcrc oficrcd prices for ccrhin dyes mnde licrc ~vliich, n t t,lic thiic, ivoiilcl linrc Ima quitc iinpossil~lc for tlic liomc dye niakcr to m e t . Tlint W:IS t i coiisidcred policy on the p r t of the Clcr~nnns to upsct t,lic uscrs licrc nntl to striltc n I)lo\v nt, t,lic opcrlitioiis of our Dycstufh Act. It cnirsctl niucli iinscttlcnicnt, : i d n t tlic tiinc maclc sonic lml feeling l~ct~wccn users niid ninltcrs licrc ; so niucli so that tlic continunncc of tlic 1)ycstufis Act wns for t i tiinc in jcopnrdy iintl i v i ~ tho subject of ~pecinl discussions in lJiir1i~inieiit. Uu t tlic loydty nnd goodwill of tlic ninjority of tho iiscr6 prevnilcd, nntl tho cstablisl~ing by tho lliccnsiiig Coin- mittco of ti pricc factor piit 1111 cntl to this ovcrt nttnck, wit11 tlic result t l in t dyc iiirikers lierc got fni t l i to proccctl,

CHEMISTRY AND INDUSTRY 823 Oct. 3,1880

rind, with bulk production and espcrience, llave now got to tlie stnge of Ijeing on n fairly comparable bas+ in price nhli tlic foreign producers in the colours they make. During tlic past two ycnrs very few licences have lind to he granted 011 the grounds of price, nnd the recent roniinents on tliis nspect of the trade by Sir Henry Sutcliffe Smitli, chniniinn of tlic Colour Users' Associa- tion, nrc n.mplc tcstinioiiy to tlie fnct t l i n t on tlic question of price, in thc colours mndc hcrc, tlic industry is on 11 fairly souiitl Ijnsis, nrid iiscrs nrc Iicing supplied on tcrins conil)nral)lc with t.lieir foreign conipctitors.

In rct,rospcct of tlicse last ten ycnrs, therefore, wliilc there hnvc becn tliliicult.ics arid some hardships to face on the part of thc iiscrs, in giving to tlic mnkcrs in this coiuitry tinic for tlicir liroccsses to Inntiire, I nni sure the liulli of the uscrs ill agree tha t on 1)nlnnce i t lins Iiecn cnor~nonsly to their gnin to linvc the services of a Ilonic tlyc inchistry.

A s the itlea persists, ho~~evcr , :iniong nil iiggressive iniiiority t l i n t t.lic industry has been fostcrctl n t great sacrifice 1y thc iiscrs, and tlint i t Iins 1,ccn n distinct fwtor in t& coriti~iuetl depression of the tcstilc trndc, I slioultl like to suggcst one or two hond tcsts on this wry iniportniit point. .If tlic lnck of dyes or high prices Iinvc IJceii :i scrious OIJStnClC, this should bc rcflcctcd in tlic returns of tliosc J>riilichCs of t.lic trrltlc tlcpc~iclent mninly on tlicir tlycs conteat,, ns distinct from other brnnchcs iiot. tlcpcndclit. on dyes. l\'c find the rcccnt report of tlic (:ovcriinicnt Cotton Inquiry most \~nluablc :in(\ illiinhntiiig in this rcspcct. I t annlyscs a i d tnbnlntcs the export rct.uriis of the vnrious sections of tlic textile trade, :111d thcsc arc the figures. 111 grcy, r~nblcnclictl clot.11 (using no d p s ) tlie csports rlecrcnscd from 2,357,492 thoiisnntl liiicnr yards in 1913 to 951,823 i n 1'329. In t,lcnchrt[ cloth (dso with 110 dyes) the tlccrcnsc wns froni 2?045,252 thoiistind yards in 1013 to 1,288,273 i n 19.9. Printcd goods (pnrtinlly colourcd only) tlccrcnsctl f ro in 1,230,754 thousnnd ynrtls in 1913 to 591,706 in 1929 ; t~liile tlycd nntl dyed-yarn goods (\~liolly coloirrctl) tlccrciisctl only from 1,441,751. thoiisnid pnrds i n 1913 to 970,049 i n 1929. Iiitlced tlic sterling vnluc of t,lic dyed goods showctl iiii actual increase in t,lic pcriotl, tlic figirrcs IJcing f26,6G9,000 in 1813 against f33,(314,000 in 1929.

These most striking figures offer niuch food for rcncctioii to tcstilc pcoplc, hit srircly the l a s t jnfcrcnce t h n t eoiiltl Ijc (lrnwn from thcm is t.Iint the dyes supply l i n s 1)eeii n tlctcrring fnctor.

It is perhnps outside the region of this p n p r to expand on niiy furtlicr lcssons thcsc figarcs niny give ; but ns dyes nnd tcstiles arc so iiitcrclcpenrlc~it, iiriti iis ccrtnin ~i~il~licists in tlisciissing the position of tcstilcs will persist i n mnlriiig t h iicw (lye intlnstry their cnt's p v , it, niny not be wit of plncc to cnclcnvoiir to help thciii to ii bctter understnilding nnd to suggest othcr cspltinntions rind rciiicdics for the tlcprcssion wliich contililies to cloud 1111 industry in wliicli nll of 11s nrc so tlceply concerned. AH tlic figurcs qiiotcd sIio\v, the stnggcriiig drop in rcturiis is in t.ho grcy nnd bleziclicd cloth scctioiis, dcpcndcat cntircly on spiniiing tiiiil waving cquipincnt iilrtl conditions. nre obviously losing our clot11 ~niirkot. \Vliut ix the espltinntion 1 Wc see in almost every inorning pnpcr froin %n~icnsliire discussions ns to \rlietlior wenvers will or will not conxeiit t,o opcrntc 011

the 8-loom system-ciglit looms. Now, liere is nil extract from n letter of a business inaii in America which I rccciitly received when investigating tlic question of looms. €10 snys :-

I' In the United Stntcs of America tlie use of automatic waving ~i~acliiiicry has been in thc last years ncnrly uiiivcrsnl, and nddetl to this has hcen t,hc very Inrgc dcvclopnient of tlic 24-hour riiii for mnchincry througli- out onr Soilthem States. . . I h r c arc ~iinriy cnscs in this country where for 100 looins, 011 n narrow priiit clot.li construction, thc iiiills employ one lqon~ fser, oiic wenvcr, with n younger hand to fill the mugnzines. On thc whole, all our Soiitlicrn States hnvc becn equipped in n very liigli state of efficiency, atid in spite of our very liigli intlivitlual opcrntivc Inbour costs, the totnl cost per 1 b. lins liccn rccluccrl mnterinlly."

I niiiy sny, in bliis co~ii~csioii, that on n visit to rhncricn sonic ycnrs ng", I was told by n looni innker, nn oltl fnmily friend, thnt his son hnd just rctiiriied from the Sontli with nil order for 10,000 of tlicsc nuto- nintic looms. Now, conipnrc tliis with tlie conditions IVC scc Lciiig discusscd daily hcrc, atid does i t not give some clue to tlic dccliiic of oui. Lancnsliirc trutlc ? As n scqiicl to this, it, is worth rccording an cspcrieucc t l in t fnccd mc oiily Inst ivcck. I wns going over oiic of our dyc works, rind oiir ninnnpcr drew my nthmtioii to n lnrgc coiisigiiinciit of clot,li for n British merclrnnt which hntl just come froin Aniericn, the first of 200,000 yards, u~liich IVC l i n d to dyc n n t l finish. I m:itle special inqniry into tlic fncts. It is n licnvy cotton cloth, nntl 1 found t l int it wns Ijcing tlcli\.eretl cnrriagc p i t1 n t our works from Anicricn a t 2gd. per yard less tlim the nicrclinnt could gct t,lic same cloth n t t l in t time froiii Lnncnshire. Our cost for dyeing this cloth, apart froni 11 spccid fiiiisli, wiis lid. pcr ynrtl, whilc thc cost of the nctunl dyestuff used wns 0.49~1. per ynrnl. So tllnt hcrc wns n fiiiislictl cloth iii \vliich tlic nctuel tlycs cost was lcss tluiii $1. per ynrd, while tlic cloth itself cost 2id. n pard less from h i c r i c n thnn the Lnncnshire quotiition. Jn this cnsc, n t niiy rntc, tlic lionie dyes could not be licltl rcspoiisiblc for tlint pnrticulnr drop in tcstilc rctums.

Actual working coiidibioiis nnd coinpnrisons siich ns I lmvc given, couplcd with the figires from tlie Covern- mcnt Cotton Inquiry, nrc indced illuininnting wit1 provirlc perlinps soiiic kcy to the nipstcry of Lnncnsliirc. Thcy lirive i i great, grave prohlcm to fiicc if they nicnii to kccp to their old type of trndc iiiicl rcttiin tlicir mnrkets. I h t it will not IN mot 1)y riiiining nwnp from bald, iiioilcni fncts, nnt l tnliing slicltcr under sitlc issues. \\'it11 all her nccuinulntctl \vcnltli from tlic inventions of 100 ycnrs ~igo, Lnnciishirc sliould l i n w beell rendy for these iiew conditions. They ercctcd statues in tlicir sqnnres to tlie grcnt nieii o€ tlieir industry- I-lnrgrcnvcs, Arkwiglit., Crompton, Cnrtwriglit-and nl l these years hnve bccii liusy inaking fortnncs untlcr tlicir slintlo~r. But that was not enough. It was tlie spirit bcliiiid tlicse nieii t h y forgot or were too busy to think of, tho spirit of new qucsts, of rcscnrch. The lirst clnim on nny hiirvcst is t h seeds for thc nest. Ikn- cnsliirc neglected t h t fundrrnientnl ftict, nnd treated these origiiinl Hnrgreavcs aiid Crolnpton pliiiits 11s if they were perciininIs tha t woiild Llossoiii for ever. Ger~na~iy innde n 111iIIioii profit out of syntlictic nliznriiia

r i

8% CHEXISTltY AND INDUSTRY Oct. 3,103[1

and s p a t it in rcscnrcli for syiitlictic indigo. It is the o d y w y for progrcssivc inclustry. Wl~ilc i t is busy rcalising tlic results of onc discovery, i t must be prcpiring for tlic Iicst, thc ncst stcp forward. That, I nm afrnicl, is a t the root of thc innlady of Lniicnshirc and tlic ndrcrsity of thcsc lnst tcn ycnrs. Will slic adopt tlic CJdy cure nnd rcnlisc bcforc i t is yet too late tlic value of rcscnrcli niid team-work sucli ns I Jinvc tricd to clcscribc ns csistiiig in tlic yomigcr dyc industry ? And, in nny cnsc, will sltc mid her Press wntch t l i n t tlicy do ~iothing to h n p do\vn the efforts ant1 progress of this ticw field of scientific work tlint has now taken root in this country. \\'ill thcp rcnicntbcr thnt, but for our Iornicr Iicglcct or want of vision, tlic textile industry iuight Itaw Iicld for this country nll tltnt wonderful tlcvclopnicnt i n synthctic dyes that l ind to go to forcign liinds fop its growth ?

I must itow, before I coiicliide, mnke n few more specific obscrviitions on the Dycstuffs Act itself. \\'hat pirt Iins i t plnyccl in nll tlicsc dcvclopnicnts \vc lisvc bccn considering, :ind should ivc look l o r a d to saying good-bye to i t in Jnnuary nest, or offer i t n further wclcoiiic ? Its bronc1 provisions iirc \vcll knoivn niitl are siniplicitp itself. I t providcs tliiit if R dyestuff can lie procurcd from ainkcrs in this country in cqunl qiiiility at nn approxim:itcly compctitivc pricc, no liccncc will IIC granted for its iniport. On tlic other Iiand, niiy tlycstuff not mndc in this country, or tltnt cannot IJC supplictl I J ~ mnkcrs hcrc :it ti rcnsonnbly compctitivc price, the British user is givcn n frcc licence to iniport. Tlicrc is no duty of tiny kind. I tlo not know wlio was rcsponsiblc for tlic fniming of this Act, nnd \vltcthrr Itc bc iiow dcnd or nlivc, bu t I ltnvc often tChought ho\v vcry pcrfcct nn instrument it is for tltc ohjcct for which it was Iiindc, viz. :-to givc the 1icccssi)ry scope nnd security that woulcl ciinLlc n ncw nnd highly tcclinicnl industry to grow, while a t tlic 5ninc time not shutting off tlic tcstilc industry froin tlic ndvntitagcs of tlcvclop- nicnts outside, tind scciiring tlicin supplics a t rciisoiiablc nnd usable priccs. It was not an easy Bill to ndniinistcr, and the Licensing C'oniiiiittcc liud ninny rlifficult nnd intricntc matters to ndjust in tltc ciirly days. But from iilrnost nothirig nt all thcy grndunlly linninicrcd out, in tlic licst British style, ti working inncliinc tlint lias bccn invnlunblc to thc whole dyeing riiitl dye-mnking industry of this country, both tcchnicnlly nnd co111- mcrcinlly. I linvc lind to watch tlicir opcrotions from hoth sides, ns dyc inalier nnd uscr, ;uid I cnn testify how fairly tlicy Iinvc licld the linlancc bctwccti tlic two intcrcsts. T h y dcscrvc tltc highest prnisc and tlianks froin all conccriicd in tlic welfare of tcstilcs rind dycs in this country. If it is nny indicntion, I intry say thnt wltilc I Iiavc Iind to nppcnl to tlicrii for further considcrn- tion as LL dyc intikcr, 1 Iiad on no occnsion to do sd ns n user.

But like nll restrictive nictisurcs, this Act lias lind its critics, i i n d certain iiscra clnini t l i n t i t hiis bccn n great hindrance to the frcc worliing of tlicir trndc. Tlic offcr of lower priccs from nbronil for colours tlicy llad to gct liere wns a iinturiil gricvnncc a t one period, but I Iiuvc nlrcody mndc full rcfcrcncu to t l i n t plinsc, nnd i t iv gcncrally ndmittcd that thcrc is no\v little or notliing to complain of on that scorc. Tho otlicr iind pcrvistiiig ouusc of compluirit is tht tlic conditiotis of the Act

for111 n scrioiis bnrricr to the nccess to new colours abroad, and that this is n very scrious linndicnp to licw trndc dcvclopments. It is n r p c d t h t tlic ninkcrs nhond nrc nntiirully reticent in offering tlicir ncwcst things to this inarkct, :ind tlint tlic bnycrs licrc in conscqnciicc losc thc bcncfit of close contnct with dcvclopmcnts abroad. This nrgumcnt always piizzlcs nic, nnd I cnntiot conccivc liow it cnn bc nindc scriously, cspccially under tlic con- ditions csisting for scvcrnl ycnrs past. 'l'hcrc may liave hccii n period, bcforc tltc licciising iiiricliincry got fairly going, whcn dcliiys took plncc that wcrc unfortun?tc, but 1 ciutnot IJclicvc tltnt such compliiints c~in npply to tliings iis now conductcd. W i n t is t,lic h o d tcst. ? 11% spite of the grcnt incrcase of tlic iioiiic production h t l i in Inilk iind vnricty, ivc liccnsctl lnst ycnr thc iiiiportntion of no lcss tlmi 5,482,319 111. o f tlycstuffs and iittcriiicdintcs t1istril)utcd over 1000 tliffcrcnt typcs :lnd \ductl nt. f1,007,853. It Ci l l l l lO t hnvc l>ecn I t vcry n~iwilling scllcr t,li:it OlTcred tlicsc cnor1iio~is quiintitics and vnrictics, nor citn tlic door hnvc I m i i n \'cry ciosc- shut one t.1in.t gnvc tlicrn cntrnncc. h colnpliiints of tlic kind we nrc tliscusxilig I like

:il\vnys to gct concrcte cases tiiitl to go, i f possible, hy pcrsond cspericncc. We linve cloth iind yarn clycing works of our own tlint-. iirc dcpcndcnt on whiit arc cnllctl ' * i~oveltics " ~)crlinps iitorc tltriii aiiy dye works in this count.ry. Wc specinlisc in t,hciii, and niiy hr r i c r to t,he ncwcst dycs nnywlicrc woultl nffcct 11s most seriously, both ns dycrs rind printcrs. I Ilnvc consiiltcd our 1tc:id chcniist,s and nuinngcrs of tbcsc \vorlts rcpciitdly, i ~ n t l I cannot find II tmcc of cvidencc t h t . t,lic Act Iiindcrs thcat from the usc of :inp forcign colours tlicy require. Tlic figures spcak for tltcinsclves. In'our innin dye and print \vorIis, cligiigctl cliicfly 011 frist-coloiir goods rind

160 froin iibrond, leaving 100 froni dyers in this country, t hough the lnttcr cxcectl tlic foreign consitlcrnlrly in l)nlk. But we Iinvc no difliciilty wltiitcvcr ie getting thcsc 160 forcign dyes citlicr iit tlic stngc of licciicc froni t.hc Coniniittcc or from the ninkcrs iihoiid. A s to rcticmcc on the piirt of the foreign Iiinkers to give inforinntion and Iiclp, Idtc stiitcnicnt is siniply uiifounrlcrl wid will not Iicnr :L moment's csnniintition. Our cliciiiists piiy pcriodicnl visits to tlic Contincutiil ntakcrs, and tlicy could not be given better nttctit~ioii-w\iy slioulrl i t bc otlicrwisc, wit11 so mucli trntlc bctwccn us ? In the nitittor of circiilnrs offering nc\v tliings, our cliciiiists tcll iiic t h t tlicy Iicivc from foreign Innkcrs pcdinps linlf a tlozcn cvcry wcck--a willingness nnd 1;ccnncss to serve tlint could not IJC csccllcd. As to tlic gricvnncc ngniiist tlic DyestufTs Act t.lint it d i i t,s out iiscrs in tliis ' country from ncw things iil)roiid nnd deprivcs us of \dunblc tcdinicnl inforination, I say that tlic stirtcriicnt is quitc contniry to our cxpcricncc nnd tlint tltcsc arc ns frec to cvcry o m licrc to-dny 11s they liave cil\vnys liccii. To niiyonc willing to work loyally witliin t h Act tlicrc is tlic grcntcst possible frccdoni, and t h o foreign Innkcrs nrc only too willing to gct rill thc t r d c the coiiditiona dford thcni.

Wlitit conclusioii tlicn, you iitcry tisk, shoiild o m coin0 to, 11s n user iiiid dyc iiirikcr conibincil, 11s to the oontinu- nncc or otlicrwisc of tlic DycstuIfs Act nftcr Jnnuary ncxt 1 I tliiuk you iniiy bc quite prcpnrcd for the iin~wcr I sliiiii givc, iind I do it, without vcruptc or iicxitn-

yiirns, W C usc 260 COlOlUS a11 told. Of tlicsc we get,

Oct. 3, 1930 CIIEJIISTRY AND LWUSTRY 826

tion. Frcc Trndcr though I havc always bccn, and liaving fully in mind my licavy financial interests ns a dye iiscr, my strong rccoinmcndntion is for a r c n c d of tlic Act ; and I shnll t ry to givc my rcnsons in n fciv stntcnicnts ns short nnd clcnr ns I cnn innkc thcm.

(1) Tlic xduc of tlic Act mas cspectcd to bc opcrntivc for 10 ycnrs after 1920. In tlic two first ycnrs, owing to tlic frccing of tlic ports nnd from imports of repara- tions, foreign dycs to the xduc, i t is cstimatcd, of ovcr f7,000,000 wcrc imported to this country, and not till 1923, or Intcr, wcrc iiscrs clcar of these stocks. About t ha t tirnc came the slump in general trade, nnd ever sincc tlint t h c the tcstilc tradc lins lint1 nn nnprccc- tlcntcd dcprcssion, with the rcsult t l int tlic dycs trndc Iins not rciipcd niiything like tlic bcncfit in production tliat thc Act nnticipntcd. In ordinary patent cnscs, covering 14 or 16 ycnrs, siicli conditions woiild bc siifficicnt for tlic piirtics to clnini nnd 1)c granted nn cstcnsion of the protcctcd pcriod.

(2) From oiir niorc intiinntc ncqmintnncc wit11 tlic inilustry i t is obvious tl int tlic inlicrcut coniplcsity nnil niuItipIicity of its problems arc such that thc tiinc originally considcrctl suficicnt for this country to cntcli up wiis too inidcqnatc. Thc iiiws of ii\wil;~lilc tnbrilntcd dctail bcliintl tliosc 11,000 forcign pntcnts of fifty years is too cnornions for n nii~ch sniiillcr group of clicmists hcrc, nc~v to tlic problcnis 10 years ngo, to bc cspcctcd to overtnkc i t in the pcriod. A s cvirlcncc of tlic vnluc of nccirnrulating knowlcdgc, i t is rcinarknlilc t l int in tlic pnst two ycnrs not only has production in this country riscii vcry ~niitcrinlly, \\*it11 littlc or no incrense of staff, hit tlic nuiiilicr of ncw patcuts Iins incrcnscd in i i vcry niiir1;ed dcgrec, nnd in ficlds of rcsciircli t l int show a rripidly ndvnnciag quality of ncw work. I woiild urgc most stroayly that nothing slioold Iinppen n t tliis tinic t l i n t \voulrl in nny wny rctnrd tlic miircli forwrird of this splcniliil tcani of yoiiiig c1icnii:;ts wlio arc just getting iiito tlicir striclc.

(3) Muny millions Iiii\~c liccn cspcndcd in Iiuiltl/ugs nnd pliint, nnd Iiirgc nrinibcrs of clicniists, cnginccrs, niid othcrs linvc Lccn truincd spcciiilly wit11 tlic view to cstiiblisliing n pcrni:incnt tlyc industry in tliis country. It WIIS stiirtcd niiiinly iit tlic instigiition and with tlic co-opcrntion of uscrs of dycs. It is in tlic gcncriil intcrcsts of tlic tcstilc trndc tliiit n strong dyc industry should IN doniicilcd hcrc. To opcn our ports indiscriniin- iitcly to dycs rilirond woulil liavc this ininicilintc cficct. A distinct cffort \voiiId bc inadc to capturc this hinrkct in ccrtnin sclcctcd groups of coloiirs, nntiirnlly tlic iiiost ndvnnccd groups, nnd tlic prices offcrcd \rould be such tliiit nialicrs licrc could not prodncc nt I L profit. Gcr- ninny might be willing to givc us tlicsc sclcctcd groups of colours for n tinic a t prices far bclow tlicir ccononiic vriluc. Uscrs hcrc niiglit rcap Iiirgc tcnipornry giiin, n wry tcnipting bait for 11s uscrs. J3ut tlic iniikcrs of tlicsc clyes licrc woultl nmiinwliilc Iiiive to closc tlicsc scctions, tlic most sciciitificiilly advnnccd scctions of tho triidc, with tiic conscqucnt cnncclling of rcscnrch nnd iin ond to furthcr progrcis. When tliiit pliiiso hnd been rciiclicd and tlic laiowlcdgc nncl iirt lost for tlic proclnc- tion of tlicsc ndvtiiico prodiicts, price3 \\70uld inc\~itnbly risc by virtuc of bcing 11 monopoly. This wn.? cxactly tlic coiirsc things took soiiio 40 yeiirs ngo i n connosion with nliznrinc, Turltcy red. Prices \vow ciit, I think, to

5d. a Ib., a figure that wns quitc uncconomicnl to makcrs of nliznrinc hcrc. Aftcr the British works closcd clown uscrs were fnccd with a pricc of, I bclicvc, 2s. Gd. pcr Ib., nnd out of this situation grcw the prcscnt British Aliznrinc Co., it company sct up by alarmcd uscrs in sclf dclciicc, for tlic making of this onc colour csscntinl t o tlicir industry. But thc post-war figures I linve give11 are pcrhnps cvidcncc enough without rcfcrcncc to older cspcricncc:;.

(4) Dyc innking is csscntially n trade that carries very licavy overliead cliargcs in rc9pect of rcsearcli clicmists, process chemists, nnd spccial cnginccrri. It is n trndc \vIicrc n high niinirnuni product,ion is csscutiiil not only i n gross liut in indiridunl products if thcy iirc to bc nindc cconomicnlly. It is impcrutivc tlint iunkcrs here should rctnin nll tho tradc tlic country cnii givc in coloiirs tlint they ciin innkc cqiinlly with thc iiiakers abrond. If insrkcts were frcc, tlicrc \voultl be nn incvitnblc dividing of our ordcrs nniong home tirid forcigu ninlicrs. The forcign ninkcrs gct prncticnlly thc entire trndc of t,licir own country, a i d uiilcss inakers licrc nrc nssurcd of the bulk afforded by tlic lionic innrkct, tlicir production could ncvcr rcncli the ncccss:iry ccolioinic standiird. It shonld I)c iiinde clcnr t l i n t we iiicnn to rcniain in the (lyc industry in all its branclics, iind liulk trndc in cat;iblislied colours is thc only wiy of cnabling us to cnrry sucli ovcrliciids ns will niiikc furthcr rcscnrch and ndvancc possiblc.

(5) Lastly, iind w h i t I rcgnrd ns niost iniportant of :ill. It is csscutiiil for thc Iuturc of tlic industrinl csist- CIICC of tliis country thirt wc sliould linvc thc Inrgcst possiblc body of young rncn with trniiiing swli ns is tlcrircd from i i tliorougli grounding in organic chcmistry. It is tlic fibre we most nccd tliroughout tlic wliolc tcsturc of OIIC industries. Dyes is thc riaturnl training ground, but tlie vnluc nnd influcncc of n Inrgc body of cspericnccd orgrinic cl~cinists such as this industry givcs \vould be felt by nntl w011ld flow ovcr to other bra~iclics, irnd to nonc niorc so tltnn to tcstilcs. It is prcciscly tho k i d of quiilitics dcvclopcd Iiy clicniists of n dyc industry t l ~ t arc niost nccdcd for tlie prol)le~i~s of t l ~ c tcstilc industry, witncss thc nrtificid silk t,riidc, :ind tlie iid\~an- tagcs t1i:it \voiiltl nccruc froin tlic contnct and collnborn- tioii of groups of siicli iiicn on tlie problcins of tlicse two nllicd nntl intcrdcpcndcnt industries is grciitcr t l i i~ri ciin he iniiigincd. Tliiit is sonictliing I cnn nlrcndy testify from pcrsonnl cspcricnoc, iind i t \voiild Iic a bad day for tcstilcs if tlicy took tiny stcp tltnt woultl in thc sliglitest degrcc rctnrd tlic growth of t i n nccuniiilutiiig cspericiicc rind knoivlcdgc 01 orgnnic clicinistry nnd its pcrsonncl in this country. I t is CVCII wort11 niuch tcinpornry sncrificc, if sncrificc tlicrc ~voiild IIC.

Siicli arc fionic of tlic miiiu rcnsoiis in niy opinion for doing notliing i i t this tiinc t o disturb tho happy bnlnncing conditions prcsciitly tilfordcd Iiy the Dyestuffs Act : tlic opinion of onc wlio is not only kccnly intcrcstcd in dyc ninking, but cvcii inorc involvcd in tcstilcs nnd tlic

It may bc d i e d , tlicii, would I siiggcst a siinplc con- tinuniicc of t l iu conditions of tlic cxistiny Act witli 110 modiliciitions n t all. I havc setirclieil round for wl~nt might bc licttcr conditions to mcct tlic'clcsircd objcctivo, nud frnnkly I cnnnot lind tlioni. It 11av I)ccn suggcstcd by Sir Ifoiiry SiitcliIFc Sniit,Ii t l i n t IL snfcnunrding t,iirilf

IISC of dye:;.

830 CNEBIISTRP AXD IXDUSTRY Oct. 3, 1030

might bc iniposcd on ccrtain ngrccd-upon colours now nindc in this country, with n frcc entry to all otlicr colours. I scnrccly tliink tha t this nrrnngcnicnt would tic bcttcr for cithcr party, tlie ninkcr or uscr, than is :ifloriled I J ~ tlic csisting conditions. I t 5 iiscrs wc arc :ilrcndy gctting such ngrccd-on colours at, sny, tlic iivcrngc pricc of similar colours on tlic Contincnt of Nurope. To put n duty on such colours might result in liriccs Lcing raised hcrc to thc cstcnt of tlic duty, iio srnnll innttcr on probnbly 90% of our sripplics, when wc :ilrc:idy gct tlicni n t coinpctitivc priccs, and with no tltit,y. 13y tlic Act, tlic wliolc of tlic trndc in tlicsc colours \could be sccnrcd to tlic lioinc innkcrs so long :is tiicy coiiltl supply nt , say, tlic nvcmgc Europcnii price. Sir IIcnry furtlicr snggcstcd tl int nll coloiirs, other than siicli iigrcctl-on coloiirs, should conic in frec. But nlrcndy all dyes not mndc licrc conic i n frcc undcr thc prcscnt Act, and woiild continuc to (lo so till tlicy could bc supplicd from ninkcrs licrc of cqunl quality nt compcti- t ivc priccs. If tlic ncw s iyps t ion nicans t l in t n linc is to bc ( h i t - n no\\- n t tlic csistin: stngc of dcvclopmcut, iiud no furtlicr spccinl considcrntion given bcyond colours t.lint are n ~ i v mndc, then it wonlrl bc :I scrioiis I)low to progrcss i n tlyc ninkiiig hcrc, and would linvc t,lic cffcct of niorc o r lcss stcrcotyping tlic industry :it it.s prcscnt stiigc of dcvelopnicnt. The prescnt iiccomIliorl~tio~i ( J f :illowing colours in frcc till t h y can bc irdcquiitely niiitle Iiy tlic Iionic producers is surcly soiiiiiler nnd mcets tlic situiit.ion bcttcr. It niny be nrgaed that forcign ninkcrs will not coiitinuc to scud tlicir nciv products just to iicconiinodntc 11s ti l l ivc arc rcndy, but, tlic ficlil of nc\v products is so vast, nod t h y liiirc so stupendous :I hnntlicnp, tlint tlicrc would nlwnys Iic siifficicnt I ~ d k trndc licrc i n tlicsc ncwcr tliings to justify tlicir cntcring for our mnrkct. Also i t niust iiot lic forgottcn t.liat nny new forcign pro(1ncts t l i n t arc pntcntcil 11nvc the protection of our pntcnt I n w , nnd \vonld linvc iicccss iis they co~lltl not, IN produccd IIWC cscept unilcr liccncc.

One new provision, l slioultt likc to suggest, niiglit IIC ndtlcil to nny niodificd forni of tlic IlycstiiNs Act. I t is tlirit ncw colours froin nlwond that iirc prncticnl cquiwlcnts of coloiirs nlrcndy nindc licrc slioiiltl not be given licenccs for import. It lins l~ccn wry iippiircnt tliiit in niiiny cnscs forcign ninkcrs Iiiivo mntlc ncw 1)rniids of csisting typcs with tlic distinct olijcct of cvniling tlic provisions of tlic Act, nnd gcttiiig triidc in tlicin ns ncw tlyns. \\’Iicrc any ncw colour lins t i distinct iicw propcrty tlirit would bc of mluc to our dycing triiilc we slioiild obviously linvc it, but ivlicrc i t is a prncticiil cqiiivnlcnt scnt to cvndc our rcgulntions i t sliould IJC riilctl out. As I 11nvc nlrcndy mid, i t should IJC iiindc nbundnutly clcnr t l int \vc iiicnn to coutinuc in all ilcpnrtnicnts of tlic dye trade, iiiid for t l int purposc i t is cssciitinl t l int tlic hoihc dyc iiiakcrs should hnvc ns ii basis oE tlicir 1)ulk production tlic wliolc dciunnds of tlic uscrs n t lioiiic in tlic colours, niid tlicir practical cquirnlcnts thrit t h y Iinvc pcrfcctcd rind can supply. It is tlic only basis on which they can nlford to continuo rcscarcli niid build tlic futuro of tlicir industry.

I should like t o concludc this wry long pnpcr to n niccting of British olicniists by quoting n pioturosquc plirnsc I oftcii rcnienilcr-tho cncourngiiig words of I-Iofinnnu to tho youth Pcrltin aiid othcrs of his studcuts

when thc first glcniii of all this ncw world wns Lcing rcvcnlcd to tlicni in those roonis in Londoll : ‘ I Gcntlc- nicn, ncw bodics nrc flontiug in tlic nir.” Lct 11s havc our minds opcn to scc tlicm nnd vision cnoiigli t o rcnlisc wlint tliey inny mcnn.

PROFESSOR H. B. DIXON IVIicii I cnnie to O\\-cns as one of Disoii’s nssistnnts in

1909, tlic fornintion of the grcnt scliool foundcd by Roscoc lint1 bccn completcd i n nll csscntinls by llison niid his nbly sclcctcd tcaiii of brilliant tcnclicrs nntl invcstigntors. Alrcntly nccustoinctl to linvc cliiwge of n tlcpnrtmcnt, tliougli onc of wry inodcst dimciisioas, I wns probably bcttcr qualified tliiiii most ncwcoiiicrs t o tlic dcI)nrtnicnt a t O\vcns to npprccintc tlic difiicultics nttnclicil to tlic dircctorship, i i i i d I wiis st.roiiglyiiiiprcssct1 by 1)isoii’s ninstcry of ndiiiinistrntivc dctnils, his intimntc knowlcdgc of tlic pcrsoniilitics aiid nbilitics of nl l his studcnts, nnd with the timc nnd cncrgy Iic found for pcrsoiinl intcrvicws with prcscnt and past studciits, who wcrc ncciistoinctl to scck his giiitlnncc in ninny dircctions. It took nic longcr to rcnlisc t l int such csncting lionornry advisory work cstcnded ovcr nn cvcii wider field t l inn tliis, :i i id his Iiclp \vns being coil- stniitly souglit, for nnd nngrudgingly givcii to stndcnts’ nssocintions, to tcnclicrs in tcclinicnl and secondary scliools, nnd to cducntion niitliorit,ics. AS clircctor of studics in tlic clicniienl dc1)iirtlliclit Iic

cliosc to cncoiiragc first of all tlic initint.ivc of his stnff. Wo cut nntl tlricd ciirriciilririi WIS iniposcd on intlividanl Icctiircs, rind so cntliusinsni i n tcncliing IWS rentlily maintnincd. Iris fninoris course of Icctitres to Hono~vs stndcnts, bascd 011 selected cliriptcrs of chcmicnl history, stood in most striking cont.rndict,ion of chnrgcx con- stnnt,ly Icvcllcd ngiiinst thc scope i ind niin of tlcgrce coiirscs in univcrsitics, for tlicrc wns not,liiiig i i i tliein to cncourngc tlic wliolcsiilc ncqiiircmcnt~ of ill-tligcstcrl facts or tlic worsliip of spccul:it.ivc tho ry . Tlic t,licnic wiis tlic spirit ant1 nict,liotl of originril scicntilic enquiry, nnd this csnniplc lind i ts incvitnblc inflticiicc on the tc:icliing throiigliout thc dcpnrtnicnt.

Not until I bccnnic n nicnibcr of tiic Univcrsity Scnate in 1013 did I scc 1)ison in full exercise of li iv po\vcrs RS n fighter. For ninny yciirs tlic Scnntc lind contiiincd n niinibcr of profcssors of Iiiglicst cniinciicc iii tlicir OWI subjccts, uiid with grcnt abilities (is aduiiaist,riitors uiid dcbatcrs. In such n coiiipiiny tliiit ninstcry of plirnsc ~vliicli most of 11s Iinvc so mucli cnricd in llison’s writings nnd niorc studied spccclics litid constnntly to be cscrcisctl on tlic s p i r of tlic niomcnt and won liiin csccptionnl rcspcct ns an oppoiicnt citlicr in dcfcncc! or attnck.

After Dison’s rctircniciit froni his Clinir i n 1922 lie wns nblc to givc iiiorc timc tliiin bcforc to tlic pcrsonnl conduct of rcsciirclics tinil to outsitlc cducntionnl iintl social work. “lie tragic sutldcnncss of tho end, wliilc Iic wns still in tlic nctivc cxcrcisc of nll his fnculbics, niny linvc siiocltcrl its, but we cnn liurdly iloiibt tlint. ha would Iinvc prcfcrrcd to lcavc 11s in sonic siicli ~vriy, niid tlic knowlcdgc t l int for Iiim n strcnuouv lifc wns not without rcnl peril Iind ncvcr tlctcrrcd liini froni living dnngcrously. AI~TIIUI~ L\I’\VOIITII