Publications, Newspaper Cuttings, Photographs and Correspondence about Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎190r] (380/879)

May 27, 1910.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS.
667
master another language, at a modicum of expense,
while there are in every city several schools and in
stitutes devoted exclusively to linguistic training, and,
of course, numerous private instructors. In Chem
nitz, and the adjoining territory, according to the
United States Consul there, the relations of the
manufacturing interests, with foreign lands, are so
extensive, and so predominant that, despite the
diversified facilities for language instruction, as
enumerated above, it was decided in 1907 to
introduce also into the public schools, optional
classes in French and English. The purpose was
to give those who so desired, an opportunity
to gain familiarity with those languages at an early
age, and to lay good foundations for more advanced
work upon entering the higher schools. The results
of the past two years show that this new feature in
the public instruction of Chemnitz met a genuine
demand. In the year of introduction 715 children
entered the classes, in the second year the number
grew to 1,084, and in 1909 it was 1,439. Of this
latter number 913 were studying English and 526
French. Noticeable is the fact also that of the pupils
thus engaged in optional language study, 58 per
cent, are boys and 42 per cent, girls. These pro
portions hold good in both languages. Russian,
Italian, and Spanish are required to some extent in
Chemnitz counting-houses. Thus far, however, the
educational authorities make no provision for instruc
tion in any modern languages except French and
English. Instruction in the other European langu
ages is secured in private language schools, or ob
tained from independent teachers. To a considerable
extent this linguistic instruction is imparted by native-
born French and English teachers, although much of
the class work is conducted by German masters, who
have excellent grammatical and literary command of
the various tongues. The policy pursued in Chemnitz
finds its counterpart throughout the Empire, and it
constitutes a powerful factor in the rapid forwaid
movement of Germany as a power in international
commerce.
HOME INDUSTRIES.
Coal - Dust Explosions. — The terrible mining
disaster in Cumberland has revived discussion on
the subject of coal-dust explosions in mines. The
dust must be raised into a cloud before it will ex
plode. In bulk it is not dangerous. A blown-out
shot will do this, and, under certain conditions, the
exhaust from air-drills, or other mechanical disturb
ance, would be sufficient to bring danger. In any
case the advance wave preceding the flame of an ex
plosion will stir the dust up. Once stirred up it can
be directly ignited by an ordinary naked light as well
as by the flame from an explosive. It is possible,
too, for the dust to be fired by the momentary rise in
temperature caused by the passing of an intense
sound-wave, such as that from a shot. No stone
dust zone would form a barrier against this, but iso
lating with stone-dust is recommended. Watering
seems to be the simplest method, but it is liable in
some grounds to increase the risks of falls of roofs,,
and these, as the Manchester Guardian recently de
monstrated, kill eight times as many as coal-dust and
gas explosions together. The efficacy of stone-dust
isolation seems established, provided the conditions
are right, for it has to be remembered that the ex
plosive flame from a coal-dust zone can be projected
several hundred feet into a stone-dust zone. At
best isolation only restricts the magnitude of the
explosion.
Manganese Steel.—It is announced that Messrs.
Edgar Allen and Co., of Sheffield, are building an
extensive steel plant at Chicago that they may be
better able to meet the American demand for their
manganese steel. Notwithstanding the high tariff,
and great natural resources of America, there are
some classes of steel which are largely imported by
the United States from the United Kingdom. These
are mostly special steels, such as manganese steel
tool steels, and cutlery, and most of them come from
Sheffield. Previous attempts of the British exporting
films to run their own works in America have not, as
a rule, been satisfactory.
The Colonial Wool Sales.—Messrs. Helmuth
Schwartze and Co. report that 7,000 more bales of
wool were available at the recent auctions than had
been expected. No doubt importers were tempted to
seize the opportunity for realising their Colonial pur
chases, including a certain quantity originally intended
for Boston. The purchases for the home trade weie
very heavy, and for America very small. The home
trade took 94,000 bales, the Continent 54,000, and
the United States only 4,000. At the first two series
of auctions this year the United States took only
18,000 bales, against 31,000 at the corresponding
series of 1909, and at the third series of 1909 they
took 23,000 bales. Up to date the Americans have
bought in London 36,000 bales less than last year.
Only 9,000 bales were brought forward from March
into the recent auctions, but 25,000 are held over for
the July series.
Synthetic Rubber.—Reference was made in these
Notes recently to the statement of the chairman of
the Bayer Company, at Elberfeld, to the effect that
the company had succeeded in producing synthetic
rubber, and that it would be produced under the
company’s process commercially before long. Various
patents are being taken out for the manufacture of
synthetic rubber, and one has just been granted to a
Belgian chemist, from which much is expected. The
chief feature of the invention is understood to be the
fermentation of peat or turf under such conditions
that it is converted, in part, into a gelatinous
hydro - carbon mass. The peat, which should
not contain more than 15 per cent, of mois-