The splendid exhibit of the French aluminum manufacturers at the late
Exhibition has again called attention to that metal, which is so
admirably adapted to many purposes on account of its great lightness
and its stability under the influence of the atmosphere. While
aluminum industry has heretofore been thought to be confined to France
solely, we are now told by Mr. C. Bambery, in the Annual Report of the
Society of Berlin Instrument Makers, that for some years past aluminum
has been extensively manufactured in Berlin.
Three firms especially (Stückradt, Häcke, and Schultze) are engaged in
this branch of industry.
The articles manufactured principally are nautical instruments, as
sextants, compasses, etc. The German navy is supplied throughout with
aluminum instruments. As a proof of the superiority of German
aluminum, it may here be mentioned that the normal sets of weights and
balances used by the International Commission for the regulation of
weights and measures, which lately was in session at Paris, were
obtained from Stückradt, in Berlin, and not from any of the firms
at Paris, the reputed seat of aluminum industry.
Aluminum is, in Berlin, generally used pure, and cast pieces only are
composed of aluminum containing about 5 per cent of silver.
Nevertheless the use of aluminum will remain limited, even in case the
cost of manufacturing it could be materially reduced, until some
method shall have been discovered by which aluminum may be soldered.
This difficulty has, in spite of all efforts, not yet been overcome,
and for some purposes, to which the metal would otherwise be well
adapted, it remains so far unavailable. Here then is a chance for some
ingenious mind.
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