Notes

Abstract

AN important statement on the development of the synthetic dye industry was made by the chairman of the Colour Users' Association at Manciester on July 20. Mr. Vernon Clay referred to two very urgent reasons why the dye industry in England should be developed to the very utmost, one being the real necessity that existed from the commercial and industrial side, and the other the necessity from the point of view of national security. Only a country possessing a large dye- making plant which could alternatively be used for the production of the various organic chemical substances employed in war could hope to be in a proper position in any future struggle, for the next war would be essentially a chemists' war, and start on a very large scale. The Government has recognised that for national security it is essential that synthetic dye factories equal to those of any other possible hostile nation shall be in existence, and to further this object the President of the Board of Trade has stated that the pledge to the synthetic dye industry, that the importation of synthetic dyes shall be permitted only under licence, will be given effect to in legislation as quickly as possible. Although the British output of dyes already exceeds the pre-war importation from Germany, there are several important dyes which are not yet manufactured in this country, and a licensing scheme such as is promised appears to be the only proper means of fostering the industry and of encouraging manufacturers gradually to extend their range until the country is absolutely self-contained as regards its production of dyes and the necessary intermediate products.