In actual practice large amounts (from 400 to 2000 kilos, of the sodium salt) are melted, but to simplify the calculation we will assume that we are dealing with a charge of only 100 kilos.

Fr.

100 kgs. "Naphthalene salt " ........................................

13.06

45 kgs. NaOH at 17 frs. per 100 kilos. ...................................

7.65

15 kgs. Coal at 2 frs. per 100 kilos.........................................

0.30

20 kgs. Sulphuric acid at 2.70 frs. ......................................

0.54

Labour for melting, dissolving, and distilling..................................

5.00

Fuel for melt and distillation, condensing water, and compressed air..................................................................

2.00

Interest (5 frs. per 100 kilos., yield 45 kgs.)..................................

2.25

Total................................................

30.80

Less value of recovered sulphite and Glauber salt

2'00

Cost of production of 45 kilos, pure Naphthol .

28.80

1 kilogram pure naphthol, therefore, costs 64 centimes.

In addition there are the general "on-costs" which may be reckoned at about 5 %, so that the final cost price of the beta-Naphthol is about

67 centimes per kilogram.

In Switzerland it is, of course, quite impossible to get such low figures, as coal and other raw materials are far more expensive, so that allowance must be made for at least double the above figure.

Actually, before the war, β-naphthol was obtainable in Switzerland in barrels, at a price of about 95 centimes per kilo., including packing, freight, and duty. It may be seen, therefore, that at best only about 10 centimes profit could be made per kilo. We can therefore put our naphthol at about 95 cts., with the proviso that the large German works had a lower cost-price as they were able either to make large contracts on favourable terms or to manufacture the naphthol themselves. In any case the manufacture shows so little profit that the majority of factories prefer to purchase their naphthol from the large works who do make it, and to concern themselves with more profitable products.

1 The drying is effected by means of the waste heat from the fusion pot.