Notes

British Chemical Trust. Practically all British industrial chemical concerns went under centralized control last week upon the formation of the Imperial Chemical Industries, a half billion dollar concern. The principal components are the Brunner Mond Co. (heavy chem-icals), British Dyestuffs Corp., Nobel industries (explosives), and United Alkali Co., each of which already predominates over its branch of the trade. Earnings of the combine will approximate $20,000,000 yearly, according to Sir Alfred Moritz Mond, chairman. One of his associates, as director, is Rufus Daniel Isaacs, Marquis of Reading, onetime Viceroy and Governor General of India.*

German Shipping. No matter what may be the agreement of German navigation companies against foreign competition, there still remains lively rivalry among them for supremacy in German trade. Thus a fortnight ago the Hamburg-American Line refinanced itself as a $31,000,000 concern and absorbed the German-Australian and Kosmos (to South America) lines. Last spring it bought back three ships once sold to Averell Harriman (TIME, March 15). Its total tonnage is now 879,000. Last week North German Lloyd, apparently somnolescent since the War, increased its capitalization from $8,000,000 to its pre-War total of $30,000,000. Its present ships total 613,000 tons, which will be increased by new constructions or purchase of smaller lines, such as the Hansa Steamship Co.

Faith. Five years ago, the Argentine State Railways were in parlous need of locomotives and even of operating funds. But financing at terms at all reasonable was difficult. President Samuel Matthews Vauclain of Baldwin Locomotive Works, perspicacious with his 70 years of activity, learned of this situation and shipped down $7,107,850 worth of engines and $1,500,000 in cash, taking in return notes which the Argentine Congress did not confirm. And for five years financiers have on occasion twitted Mr. Vauclain about those notes. Last week those notes were paid, with interest, promptly on the day of maturity.*

Serv-el, Electrolux. Forehanded, President H. B. Seaber of the Serv-el Corporation (electric refrigerators) last week took quick advantage of the publicity which the American Gas Association gave to the production of cold by means of gas heat (TIME, Oct. 25). His company is making 200 gas-cold machines, named "Electrolux" for immediate sale to gas companies. By January it will be making 100 daily for public sale; is already advertising.

Radio. The Federal Telegraph Co. of California (formed in 1911) and the Brandes Products Corp. of the U. S., Canada and England (formed in 1908) merged as Federal-Brandes Inc., $10,000,000 concern. California Capitalist Rudolph Spreckels is chairman, Ellery W. Stone, president. They will continue to make radio equipment.

Pearl Maker. At the Sesquicentennial Exposition there is a $350,000 "pearl pagoda," put up to advertise the artificially cultivated pearls of Kokichi Mikimoto, 68, multimillionaire. He employs hundreds of men to insert a tiny particle of foreign matter within the shells of individual pearl oysters. Such a foreign body irritates the oyster to cover the particle with pearl material, a process that somewhat resembles the formation of a felon around a sliver in a finger. Kokichi Mikimoto employs 500 Japanese girls and many a man to go diving for the pearl oysters, hazardous occupation. Last week he debarked at San Francisco, on his way to inspect his Exposition show; remarked: "Naturally, I do not want to lower prices, but I have one aim--a pearl of my own for every woman in the world." (He already has produced one-eighth of the world's supply of cultured pearls.)*

Hosiery. Stock control of Onyx Hosiery, Inc., was bought last week by James Hammond of Hayden, Stone & Co., Manhattan investment house. He is a director and treasurer of the Gotham Silk Hosiery Co. and therefore his purchase, considered with the present refinancing of both concerns, is taken to indicate a merger./-

Rickenbacker. Edward Vernon ("Eddie") Rickenbacker, War aviator, motor maker, might have said last week: "Before the War I was a champion auto-racer. During the War I was credited with 25 air victories, won the Distinguished Service Cross with nine palms, the Croix de Guerre with four palms and a Legion of Honor membership. After the War I capitalized my fame by organizing the Rickenbacker Motor Co. in Detroit. My concern has just been forced into 'friendly' receivership to conserve assets for creditors. We have orders for 900 cars on hand and sufficient inventory to insure favorable results from this receivership."

*Until last February Sir Alfred Mond was, politically, a Liberal leader in association with Mr. Lloyd George and the Earl of Asquith and Oxford (TiME, Feb. 1). Now he considers himself a Conservative, like his relative-in-law, the Marquis of Reading, whose heir (Gerald Rufus Isaacs, Viscount Erleigh) married Sir Alfred Mond's daughter (Eva Violet). Together with the Rothschilds, Montagus, and Sassoons, theirs are the most prominent of many potent Jewish families in England.

*He has frequently financed straitened foreign railroads in the purchase of his locomotives.

*Few U. S. citizens realize that fresh water pearls are often found in the mussels of the Black and White rivers of limestony Arkansas. Occasionally the mucket (Lampsilus) dredgers get a pearl worth several hundred dollars.

/-Hosiery companies have been making women's stockings 25 to 29 1/2 inches long with no standard to guide them. Last week the U. S. Bureau of Standards, after measurement of 14,400 pairs, decided the standard length should be 27 1/2 inches from heel to top. On a girl 5 ft. 6 in. tall and weighing 130 lb., the hose will come eight inches above the knees. Stockings of this length can be held by clasp or band garters, or be rolled. Children's stockings will range from 15 to 26.5 inches. Men's socks will be 14 and 14 1/2 inches long.