THE NITROGEN INDUSTRY. By J. R. Partington and L. H.
Parker. (Constable. 21s. net.) Great Britain is now "the only power in the world which has not within the gates of her territory the necessary means for the synthetic production of nitrogen compounds for the purposes of peace and war." The authors of this timely and not unduly technical work give a clear account of the various processes by which atmospheric nitrogen can be converted into compounds essential in the manufacture of fertilizers or explosives. They rightly state that this is a "key industry," although it has hitherto escaped the attention of Parliament. Their work is largely based on the reports of the Nitrogen Products Committee, which was abandoned after the close of the War. It shows in a startling manner that we shall be dependent on Chile for the raw material of all our explosives and most of our artificial manures until the fixation of nitrogen becomes one of our staple industries. Dr. Partington and Dr. Parker have done a public service in warning us of the possible danger thus incurred.
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