| British Dyes: Views of Eminent Chemist Sir William Ramsay, 1915 |
ColorantsHistory.Org
Reproduction of a letter to the editor of The Times by Sir William Ramsay, "British Dyes: Views of Two Eminent Chemists", The Times,
March 10, 1915:
Sir—Is it too late to amend the scheme of the “British Dyes (Limited)”? It is foredoomed to failure for at least two reasons. The
Cologne Gazette, quoted in your letter of the 2nd inst., characterizes it as a “fraudulent concern” and “wishes” much luck to it! The
attempt will be “interesting.”
The first reason for its certain failure is this:--It is not under the management of chemists. Scientific chemists must form an important
part of the directorate. Experience in the past shows this necessity. Let me quote the following instances:--Charles Tennant, an
accomplished chemist, founded the bleaching-powder industry at St. Rollox, Glasgow, in 1798. This business has always been in the
hands of chemists. In Lancashire, William Gossage, in 1836, made great economies in the process for manufacturing alkali from salt.
His works, together with the one already mentioned, and others form the United Alkali Company. All of these were under the
management of or belonged to competent chemists; among them may be mentioned Muspratt, Hargreaves, Gamble, and Worsley. The
Castner Kellner process has on its board Sir Henry Roscoe and Dr. Beilby, both distinguished chemists, and both fellows of the Royal
Society. The ammonia-soda process, originally patented by Dyer and Hemming, was successfully introduced and managed by the late
Dr. Ludwig Mond, a scientific chemist of high standing. The paraffin industry was due to the late James Young, at one time an assistant
of Professor Thomas Graham. He was a competent chemist, and maintained complete control of the factory. Perkin’s and Spiller’s
names are associated with the early days of synthetic colours. These men were both pupils of Hofmann at the Royal College of
Chemistry. The former, having gained a competency by his manufacture, retired from business and devoted himself to pure research.
The latter was for long a partner in the firm of Brooke, Simpson, and Spiller. The firm of Spencer, Chapman, and Messel, which has for
many years manufactured sulphuric acid by the contact process, owes its inception and success to Dr. Messel, a Fellow of the Royal
Society. The quinine production is in the hands of Mr. David Howard, whose chemical ability is well known. The names of Lawes and
Gilbert ate conspicuous for the services they have rendered in connexion with the experimental farm at Rothamsted. Sir John Lawes was
one of the first, if not the first, to introduce artificial fertilizers, and for long managed his works, which still exist.
Turning to metallurgy, the names of Lowthian Bell and Bessemer stand out. Both of these men were scientific chemists first; successful
manufacturers after. They both managed their undertakings. This list might be enlarged indefinitely; that Germans have successfully
copied British precedent is attested by the names of Caro, -von Martius, Brunk, and Bernthsen, all directors of Badische Anilin and Soda
Fabrik; of Bayers, of whom the leading spirit is Duisberg, and of hundreds of others. In short, it would be difficult to discover a
successful chemical industry which has not been initiated and controlled by a chemist. Unless “British Dyes (Limited)” copies this
precedent, there is little hope for it.
Second—No “protection” from foreign competition will save the situation. The only measure is total exclusion of German dyes. Even
yet we are blind to methods of German commerce. German manufacturers, backed by the whole power of the German State (if at the
end of the war there is a German State), will undersell our producers of dye-stuffs, secure the whole market, and thus establish a
monopoly. That has been their policy in the past; it will be their policy in the future. Let us be warned in time. There is ample chemical
talent in this country, both scientific and technical. What is needed is to call together a council of chemists, ask for their collaboration in
investigation and for their advice. Also it should be mentioned that it is intended to exclude absolutely the importation of all German dyes,
and capital will flow in.
Any other policy is shortsighted. The German chemical industry is worked as a huge trust, backed by the whole power of the German
State. The French and the Russians are seriously considering this policy of exclusion; and if Britain still permits imports, this will be the
dumping ground of all Germany’s chemical products, until, competition being strangled, we shall have to pay exorbitantly for all
manufactured articles imported.
Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM RAMSAY
ColorantsHistory.Org thanks Mr. Thomas Jackson for supplying this article.
March 10, 1915:
Sir—Is it too late to amend the scheme of the “British Dyes (Limited)”? It is foredoomed to failure for at least two reasons. The
Cologne Gazette, quoted in your letter of the 2nd inst., characterizes it as a “fraudulent concern” and “wishes” much luck to it! The
attempt will be “interesting.”
The first reason for its certain failure is this:--It is not under the management of chemists. Scientific chemists must form an important
part of the directorate. Experience in the past shows this necessity. Let me quote the following instances:--Charles Tennant, an
accomplished chemist, founded the bleaching-powder industry at St. Rollox, Glasgow, in 1798. This business has always been in the
hands of chemists. In Lancashire, William Gossage, in 1836, made great economies in the process for manufacturing alkali from salt.
His works, together with the one already mentioned, and others form the United Alkali Company. All of these were under the
management of or belonged to competent chemists; among them may be mentioned Muspratt, Hargreaves, Gamble, and Worsley. The
Castner Kellner process has on its board Sir Henry Roscoe and Dr. Beilby, both distinguished chemists, and both fellows of the Royal
Society. The ammonia-soda process, originally patented by Dyer and Hemming, was successfully introduced and managed by the late
Dr. Ludwig Mond, a scientific chemist of high standing. The paraffin industry was due to the late James Young, at one time an assistant
of Professor Thomas Graham. He was a competent chemist, and maintained complete control of the factory. Perkin’s and Spiller’s
names are associated with the early days of synthetic colours. These men were both pupils of Hofmann at the Royal College of
Chemistry. The former, having gained a competency by his manufacture, retired from business and devoted himself to pure research.
The latter was for long a partner in the firm of Brooke, Simpson, and Spiller. The firm of Spencer, Chapman, and Messel, which has for
many years manufactured sulphuric acid by the contact process, owes its inception and success to Dr. Messel, a Fellow of the Royal
Society. The quinine production is in the hands of Mr. David Howard, whose chemical ability is well known. The names of Lawes and
Gilbert ate conspicuous for the services they have rendered in connexion with the experimental farm at Rothamsted. Sir John Lawes was
one of the first, if not the first, to introduce artificial fertilizers, and for long managed his works, which still exist.
Turning to metallurgy, the names of Lowthian Bell and Bessemer stand out. Both of these men were scientific chemists first; successful
manufacturers after. They both managed their undertakings. This list might be enlarged indefinitely; that Germans have successfully
copied British precedent is attested by the names of Caro, -von Martius, Brunk, and Bernthsen, all directors of Badische Anilin and Soda
Fabrik; of Bayers, of whom the leading spirit is Duisberg, and of hundreds of others. In short, it would be difficult to discover a
successful chemical industry which has not been initiated and controlled by a chemist. Unless “British Dyes (Limited)” copies this
precedent, there is little hope for it.
Second—No “protection” from foreign competition will save the situation. The only measure is total exclusion of German dyes. Even
yet we are blind to methods of German commerce. German manufacturers, backed by the whole power of the German State (if at the
end of the war there is a German State), will undersell our producers of dye-stuffs, secure the whole market, and thus establish a
monopoly. That has been their policy in the past; it will be their policy in the future. Let us be warned in time. There is ample chemical
talent in this country, both scientific and technical. What is needed is to call together a council of chemists, ask for their collaboration in
investigation and for their advice. Also it should be mentioned that it is intended to exclude absolutely the importation of all German dyes,
and capital will flow in.
Any other policy is shortsighted. The German chemical industry is worked as a huge trust, backed by the whole power of the German
State. The French and the Russians are seriously considering this policy of exclusion; and if Britain still permits imports, this will be the
dumping ground of all Germany’s chemical products, until, competition being strangled, we shall have to pay exorbitantly for all
manufactured articles imported.
Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM RAMSAY
ColorantsHistory.Org thanks Mr. Thomas Jackson for supplying this article.
Sir William Ramsay won the Nobel Prize for
Chemistry in 1904 for the discovery of the noble
gases neon, argon, krypton, and xenon.
Chemistry in 1904 for the discovery of the noble
gases neon, argon, krypton, and xenon.
 |  |  |  |  |  |