DOMINION ofj:anada 
 
 THE HONORARY ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC 
 AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ::==" 
 
 BULLETIN No. 9 
 
 THE HONORARY ADVISORY COUNCIL 
 
 FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL 
 
 RESEARCH AND ITS WORK 
 
 A BRIEF RESUME OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE 
 COUNCIL UP TO 1921 
 
 BY 
 FRANK D. ADAMS, Sc.D.. L.L.D., F.R.S. 
 
 
 Canabii 
 
 Published by the authority of the Sub-Committee of the Privy Council 
 for Scientific and Industrial Research 
 
 OTTAWA. 1921 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924086756875 
 
THE HONOEARY ADVTSOEY COUNCIL FOE SCIENTIFIC 
 AND INDUSTRIAL EESEAROH AND ITS WORK 
 
 The Constitution op the Reseaboh CouNcaL 
 
 The Researoh Council consists of eleven gentlemen chosen from the 
 Universities, the Engineering Profession and the Industries of the Domin- 
 ion, who have been appointed to advise the Government with reference to the 
 ■ best means of applying the great discoveries and advanced methods of 
 modem science to the further utilization of the natural resources of the 
 Dominion of Canada, to the development of new industries in the Dominion 
 and to the extension of those which already exist. 
 
 With the intense competition which exists in the industrial world at 
 the present' time and which promises to become even keener in future years, 
 those nations which have the resources of science at their command will 
 have, of course, an enormous advantage over those which have not. 
 
 This fact has already been so clearly realized by Great Britain, France, 
 the United 'States of America, Japan, the Commonwealth of Australia and 
 the Dominion of iSouth Africa, that each of these has established a Research 
 Council similar to that now in existence in Canada for the purpose of 
 applying the methods of Science to their industries. . 
 
 In order that its work may be nlade efficient over as wide a field as 
 possible, the Research Council has secured the active co-operation of no less 
 than 109 of the leaders of science and industry in Canada who are organized 
 into Associate Committees. ' 
 
 All these gentlemen, with the single exception of the Administrative 
 Chairman of the Research Council, give their services to the Government 
 without payment. 
 
 The Manner in Which the Research '/Council Carries Out Its Work 
 
 The^ Council has been in existence a little over four years. The first 
 year and a half of this period was devoted to the development of its organi- 
 zation, and to a thorough study of the whole field of Canadian resources and 
 industries. , , 
 
 This study showed that certain great problems now face the Dominion 
 which must be solved if the country's industrial development is to be 
 furthered or even maintained. 
 
 The Council then proceeded to make a detail examination of each of 
 these problems, calling in for purposes of consultation the most expert 
 advice that could be secured. When it was convinced that a problem was 
 one which might be solved, it salapWj-paron °1\/[#Mfd or sometimes a 
 single individual, and appointe<v\l£&l]tb\(lar^>oil¥ilB4'M-tfrk, arranging at 
 
 «69-i LIBRARY 
 
 AT 
 CORNELL UNIVERSITY 
 
the same time for the provision of the funds necessary for this purpose. In 
 this way the various investigations were carried out hy the men most 
 competent to undertake them and under conditions most favourable for 
 success. 
 
 Some of the More Important Investigations Which Have Been 
 Undertaken by the Eesearch Council 
 
 The fuel problem is ,one of the most important which Canada has to 
 face. 
 
 Enormous sums of money are paid to the United States every year for 
 coal. 
 
 All the coal used in Central Canada comes from the United States, and 
 should this supply — for any reason — be cut off even for a single winter, it is 
 well to contemplate what would happen to the people and industries of this 
 part of the Dominion. 
 
 The first inve^igations, therefore, undertaken by the Research Council 
 dealt with the provision of a supply of fuel from Canadian resources to 
 replace that imported from the United States. The two following investi- 
 gations were arranged to this end. 
 
 The Utilization of the Peat Deposits of Canada 
 
 The Department of Mines reports that there are at least 37,000 square 
 miles in Canada covered by peat bogs. These bogs are from 5 to 10 feet 
 deep. Many of them lie in Central Canada where there is no coal. About 
 1-8 tons of air dried peat are equal to 1 ton of coal for heating purposes. 
 One square mile of peat bog contains an amount of peat equal to 430,000 
 tons of coal. Attempts have been made at intervals for the- past sixty years 
 or nfore to utilize this Canadian peat, but without success. The best results 
 were obtained by the Federal Department of Mines in their operations a few 
 years ago on the great peat bog at Alfred on the line of the Canadian Pacific 
 Railway bettween Ottawa and Montreal. 
 
 The Eesearch Council after a careful study of the situation decided 
 that it should be possible to cut down the cost of producing air dried peat, 
 and thus put this matei^ial on the market at a price which would make it 
 readily saleable. They therefore arranged with the Dominion Government 
 and the Provincial Government of Ontario for the appointment jointly of a 
 Peat Commission, and for the provision of grants for the carrying out of the 
 work of the commission in question. 
 
 The Peat Commission decided to undertake work at the Alfred bog and 
 ha.ve carried on operations there for two Summers. They have used a 
 machine similar to that formerly supplied by the Department of Mines, 
 and have designed a new machine of greater efficiency. 
 
 They have succeeded in greatly reducing the price of manufacture. 
 
 2 
 
Last summer they made 5,900 tons of excellent air dried peat at this 
 bog. This was sold under commercial conditions in the city of Ottawa, 
 and in some 25 smaller cities and towns of Central Canada. It was found 
 to meet with a ready market everywhere in competition with coal, and ten 
 times as much could have been sold had it been posisible to produce it. 
 Offers were received from individual companies to take the whole output of 
 the bog. The peat was sold at varying prices, which, however, in every 
 case left a good margin of profit. 
 
 The Peat Commission believe that a still further reduction in the cost 
 of production may be made by further improvements in the machines now 
 in use, and in -order to bring their work to a final concluision with a view to 
 the delivery oi peat at the lowest possible cost to the community they have 
 asked the respective Governments for a continuation of their grant for 
 another season. 
 
 If this is done there is every reason to believe that a great new and 
 profitable industry will in the immediate future develop in Canada as the 
 Result of the work of this commission. 
 
 The Briquetting op the Low Grade Lignites of South Eastern 
 Saskatchewan 
 
 ' The only fuel which occurs in Eastern .Saskatchewan and Manitoba is 
 •the low grade lignite which falls to pieces when mined and has, therefore, 
 only a very restricted use. This fuel, however, occurs in enormous amount. 
 
 The Researcli 'Council took up the question of the manufacture of a 
 high grade fuel com-piarable to anthracite from the abundanlt supplies of 
 this low grade material. The dejwsits were visited and a complete study 
 of the whole subject was made with the help of Geologists and Engineers 
 from the Department of Mines, the Commission of Conservation, as well as 
 with the help of other experts who were called in for consultation. This 
 study embraced an examination of the character and extent of the lignite 
 deposits, the possibilities of carbonizing this, fuel and the 'best method of 
 briquetting, the .question of suitahle binders for the hriquettes and all other 
 details of manufacture. Extended experiments were then made on carload 
 lots of the lignite, which resulted in the production of excellent high grade 
 fuel in the ^hape of small briquettes which are dean, easily handled and 
 convenient to burn. An extended test just completed of this briquetted 
 fuel in comparison with the Ptennsylvania anthracite imported into Canada, 
 shows that the briquetted fuel has a heating power practically identical 
 with that of anthracite coal. 
 
 Consignments of this fuel have already been supplied to the Prime 
 Minister of Canada and the Premiers of the Provinces of Manitoba and 
 Saskatchewan. 
 
 The Eesearch 'Council, in order to carry out this research, arranged 
 with the Federal Government and with the Provincial Governments of 
 Manitoba and Saskatchewan, for the joint establishmient of a Fuel Research 
 
 3 
 
Board, under the Chairmansliip of a member of the Research Council, and 
 for the provision of adequate grants to enable the Board to build a 
 commercial plant at Bienfait (near Estevan) SaskatcheTvan, capable of 
 turning out 100 tons of brdquetted fuel per diem, the raw material being 
 mined in the immediate vicinity. This plant is now nearly finished, and 
 will be manufacturing this new briquetted fuel next June. The whole plant 
 would have been in operation last August as originally scheduled had it not 
 been impossible — ovsdng to the conditions in Canada during the past year — 
 to 'obtain delivery of the necessary machinery for the plant. 
 
 There is every reason to believe that this fuel can be placed on the 
 mark-et at a price consideraibly lower than is now paid in Manitoba and 
 Saf l.atchewan for anthracite imported from the United States, and that 
 anr/t'her large and profitable industry will be sitarted in Canada which will 
 at t/he same time supply the people of this portion of the Dominion with 
 a fuel made in Canada, thus doing away with the neceissity of sending 
 iDJllions of dollars to the United States each year for the purchase of coal 
 iji that country. 
 
 Ihe Method of Reforestation Most Suitable to Conditions in Canada 
 
 Our forest area which can produce commercial lumber and pulpwood 
 is strictly limited and is being rapidly depleted. It is necessary to adopt 
 the best methods of reforestation if the forests are to be maintained. In 
 Europe, where reforestation has been carried on most succesefully for 
 many years, different countries follow different plans. 
 
 The Forestry Branch of the Department of the Interior approached the 
 Research Council immediately after its organization and placed before 
 it the importance of establishing at least one Forest Experiment Station 
 in Eastern Canada, where the different methods of reforestation practised 
 in Europe could be tried out in comparison with one another bo that the 
 most suitable for Canadian conditions might be selected. 
 
 The Council arranged with the Government, with the co-operation 
 of the Department of Militia and Defence, for the setting aside of 100 
 square miles in the rear of the Petawawa Reserve as a Forest Experiment 
 Station, and made a grant for four successive years for the purpose of 
 carrying out a forest survey of the area, and for the starting of experi- 
 mental work. 
 
 This station is now in full and successful operation, and the work 
 has been taken over as part of the regular forestry work of the Canadian 
 Government, and will throw very important light on the great >proWem 
 which Canada must solve — ^that of the preservation of her forests in a 
 state of productivity. 
 
 The Use of Canadian Iron Ores in the Place of Iron Ore Imported 
 FROM THE United States 
 
 Realizing that Canada is paying annually millions of dollars for steel 
 products purchased in the United States, and that steel plants in the 
 interior of Canada have been dependent on the United States for their 
 
 4 
 
supplies of iron ores, the Eesearch Council has, through committees, been 
 making a thorough investigation of the iron ore resources of the country. 
 These researcKes have 'been conducted along two lines (one) to 
 determine if our low grade ores could be treated by beneficiation so that 
 they can be used commercially in blast furnace practice, and thus -relieve 
 our furnace operators of importing their ores from the United States, 
 (two) invesitigation of electric smelting methods of our low grade ores. 
 
 The committees have accomplished much, and as a result~^of their 
 investiigations have made a preliminary report to the Eesearch Council. 
 They are convinced that Canada possesses large bodies of iron ore which 
 however raquires treatment or beneficiation to put it in shape for com- 
 mercial reduction to pig iron, and also that the time has an^ved for this 
 work to be undertaken. The decreasing iron value or content of the 
 Minnesota ores, proportionately increases the value of Canadian ore, and 
 promises to create another Canadian industry in which our transportation 
 systems will take part. 
 
 li is hoped during the present year to arrange for a commercial test 
 under actual blast furnace operation of a sufficient quantity of Canadian 
 low grade ores, 10,000 to 15,000 tons, to determine the value and usability of 
 our enormous ore deposits. 
 
 The Prevention of the Destruction of. Concrete by Alkaline Waters 
 
 V 
 
 In various parts of Western Canada the presence of alkaline salts 
 in the surface waters is leading to the destruotion of a great number of 
 very important structures made of concrete. The cement in the concrete 
 is attacked by the waters and in time is destroyed, so that great water- 
 eonduits, bridge piers, foundations of large public buildings, etc., are 
 very seriously threatened. Immense sums of money are involved. The 
 problem to be solved is that of ascertaining how to prevent the destruction 
 of the varieties of cement now employed or to produce a cement which 
 cannot be attacked. 
 
 The Eesearch Council in co-operation with the Engineering Institute 
 of Canada, and with certain other interested bodies, has now an investiga- 
 tion under way to solve this problem. The investigation is being carried 
 out at the University of Saskatchewan which is situated in the centre of 
 the affected area. 
 
 The Prevention of Eust in Wheat 
 
 Hundreds of millions of dollars have been lost in the Prairie Provinces 
 by the destruction of wheat through rust. 
 
 The Eesearch Council has a committee now at work to discover the 
 nature of- this rust and the means of preventing it. This committee is 
 working at Saskatoon in connection with the Dominion Government 
 authorities, .and with the University of Saskatchewan, and has already 
 achieved important results. > 
 
 It has discovered that all rust is not caused by the same organism 
 but there are several different kinde of rust. The commiilee has already 
 
 5 
 
discovered an early ripening variety of wheat whiah is not attacked) by 
 the most prevalent variety of rust, and is now endeavouring to breed! a 
 variety which will resist all kinds of rust. 
 
 The Breeding op Poxes 
 
 The " practical man " who is engaged in 'liie development of the fox 
 breeding industry has met with certain grave difficulties, and has called 
 upon the Research Council for assistance. A large number of young foxes 
 are killed each year by Intestinal Parasites. The question of the origin 
 of these pests and the way in which they may be destroyed is one which 
 is of the greatest importance for the successful prosecution of this industry. 
 
 Another question is that of securing the most suitable diet for these 
 animals, who having been taken from the forest where they find their own 
 food, are now being brought up in a condition of captivity where they 
 must be fed and kept in the Ibestipossible condition in order to produce a 
 fine pelt. 
 
 These are highly technical problems which can only be solved by the 
 Parasitologist and the Bio-Chemist. The Research Council has, therefore, 
 arranged that; these shall be made the subjects of a thorough investigation 
 by experts trained in these branches of Science. These investigations are 
 now being carried on with promising results. ", 
 
 The Utilization of Fish Waste 
 
 Investigations in this subject have been carried on in Nova Scotia 
 and have led to the estalblishment of a company in that province which is 
 now engaged in working up this waste material into valuable commercial 
 p^oducts^ thus establishing a new industry. 
 
 The Separation and Liquifaction of Helium 
 
 It has been found that this rare element occurs in natural gas which 
 has been discovered in several parts of the Dominion. It has a very 
 special value as a gas for filling balloons, since while very light and thus 
 possessing great lifting power, it is not inflammaible like hydrogen. It 
 has other important uses and the Research Council is now having these 
 investigated. 
 
 Other Researches 
 
 The council has also other researches- — over 30 in number — carried out 
 or now being carried out, on a great variety of subjects -of importance to 
 Canada. Among these may be mentioned — fog signalling, materials for 
 insulation of high voltage electric currents, sulphite liquor waste, vanadium 
 ores, vitamines, the bacterial content of cream and butter, more efficient 
 methods for heating houises, etc. 
 
 6 
 
Training Eesearoh Workers 
 
 By tiie foundation of Bursaries, Fellowships and Studentships, tenable 
 in Canadian Universities, provision is made eaeliKyear for the training of a 
 certain number of young graduates -who have shown ability and promise in 
 the methods of scientific investigation, thus providing workers for the 
 prosecution of research in the Dominion. 
 
 Education of the Public in the Necessity op Research for the 
 
 Advancement of Canadian Industries 
 
 Several members of the Research Council have at various times since 
 its establishment visited the important centres of industry in all parts of thfe 
 Dominion and addressed Boards of Trade, iCanadian Clubs and other impor- 
 tant and influential bodies, on the value and importance of Scientific 
 Research and the plans of the Government of Canada to meet their needs. 
 
 The Need for a National Research Institute in Canada ' 
 
 While many researches must necessarily be carried out in the field or 
 be located' at certain special centres, and while others can with advantage 
 be, carried on at Canadian Universities, there is a great body .of research 
 work which now needs to be carried out in connection with the various 
 industries of the Dominion which is too varied, too elaborate and too 
 teehnical to be well done in our Universities which are primarily teaching 
 institutions. 
 
 The Research Council believes that the time is now ripe for the erection 
 of a National Research Institute under the management of the Research 
 Council in which the necessary laboratories and appliances for (scientific 
 and industrial research — with an efficient stafE of workers — will be provided. 
 Such an Institute would be equipped and ready to undertake the study and 
 solution of the great number of special problems and difficulties which 
 present themselves in all advancing industries, 'and the solution of which 
 is necessary to the highest industrial success. This Research Institute 
 would render to Canada and Canadian Industry the services which are now 
 being given to the industries of the United States by the National Bureau 
 of Standards at Washington and the Mellon Institute at Pittsburg, although 
 these are planned on a much larger scale to meet the need of a much larger 
 pppulation. 
 
 The Bureau of Standards which is maintained by the Federal Govern- 
 ment at Washington, employs about three hundred scientific workers and 
 handles the greatest diversity of problems. It tests papers, textiles, struc- 
 tural and other steels, 'building and roofijig materials, cements, paints, inks, 
 chronometers, thermometers, barometers; electrical apparatus of all sorts, 
 radio-active preparations, and in fact anything and everything to which a 
 mechanical, physical (6r chemical test can be applied. It tests the supplies 
 
purchased by the various departments of the United States Government. It 
 has eliminated all fraud in this connection and has saved the country 
 many millions of dollars. It is studying the telephone service, street rail- 
 ways, gas, electric light and power, etc. It furnishes manufacturers' chem- 
 ists with standard samples of chemicals with which to compare their own 
 product. It is investigating the magnetic properties of iron and steel. It 
 is studying the properties of materials at low tempesratures. It is engaged 
 on the problem of standardizing radium. It is carrying on researches in 
 connection with wireless telegraphy. It is conducting experiments on 
 rubber in order to determine, if poBsible, the relation of its commercial 
 properties to its chemical constitution. It is laying the foundations of an 
 American ceramic industry by its study of native clays. 
 
 With the ^provision of a Research Institute of this type — adapted ito 
 Canadian conditions — ^it is believed that the industries of the Dominion 
 would receive invaluable assistance and direction. 
 
J